Whether it originally came from the Scandinavian or not, as much of Geordie dialect did one way or another, I think it time to repeat others' comments, that it is applied to both sexes. This does seem to be getting lost.

However, I feel that the use as in "Keep your feet still, Geordie hinney", from one man to another, would jar. It's a while since I lived for any long time in the NE, but I'd expect it from man to woman, and vice-versa.