You could pick a name first and then decide if it's more masculine or feminine.
As a former dog breeder, I would say may the BREED could make a difference. Choose carefully.
With females, you have their ''period'' to contend with, just like you. Comes less often but if you aren't careful, male dogs of all sorts will come calling and you run the risk of an unwanted litter. Females can be just as aggressive towards each other as males. I had a female of two different breeds, and one would always instigate a fight. A matter of supremacy.
Males can be downright cuddly. But they can have discussions over who rules the others. Dogs are flock animals and in the wild, there's a leader and there are followers. Sometimes there's a challenge.
But with males, again, when they smell a female dog in heat, it can be a challenge.
As far as having boys and choosing, I don't think there's any textbook answer. It's a play it by ear thing. Go meet the puppies. See which one seems to instinctively know about bonding with your kids.
Truly, there are benefits to having either. When a female whelps, it's a lesson in birthing and biology for the kids. I think males tend to be more loyal, but that again might depend on the breed. Any dog is happy to have love and companionship.