One Syllable Names for Girls

Evocative of the sand dunes at the beach, Doone is a relatively rare surname found in Scotland, Ireland and England. It was recently used with this spelling by Olympic medalist Amanda Beard; photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired, yes, by walks along the sand dunes during her pregnancy.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.

Reece is a less popular respelling of Reese, made famous by actress Witherspoon. Reese is the most popular spelling for girls and Rhys for boys, with Reece given to about four times as many boys as girls.

Alternative spelling of Jay, which coincides with a masculine name popular in South Asia.

This name can be used for either girls or boys and is a great international choice.

A solid, if somewhat serious Greek name. Theoni and Theona are variants. This might be a possibility if you're looking for an unusual route to Thea.

Hip new middle-name choice, conjuring up the gothic tales of Edgar Allan, and current single-named pop singer Poe.

A life-affirming sweet name is seen in both India and Nepal. The name is also sometimes spelled Jiah, as in the case of Jiah Khan - an Indian-American model and actress.

Ada, yes. Ida, maybe. But Oda, a Scandinavian version of Odelia, not really. To English speakers, it sounds too much like "odor".

There are a lot of little girls called Em today, but not that many named Em, just Em. As a first name, it's a bit reductive, especially with all the children named Emma, Emily, Emilia, Emeline, and onward. But we can see it working as a creative middle name, perhaps a clever way to honor Grandpa Mike?

A variant of Asha, which is related to the classic Arabic name Aisha, yet another way to say life. Other on-the-rise names with this uplifting meaning: Zoe and Vivian varieties such as Viviana, Viveca, and Vivienne.

A common Vietnamese name heard for both boys and girls in the U.S.

Rhett has never been more popular for boys, and it soon may be discovered by parents of girls. It shares a sound with such stylish girl names as Scarlett, Colette, and Juliette, making Rhett a viable option for a daughter.

In the US Amber is stuck in the '80s, while Ambre is a fresh choice in France.

Spelled Noë, this name is common among baby girls in the Netherlands. The umlaut clarifies the two-syllable pronunciation, at least to Europeans, and the spelling variation may help sidestep gender confusion.

Sounds like and is often confused with Asia, though it has an air of retro cool via the seminal Steely Dan album. Or, pronounced eye-ah, it can be an alternate spelling of the international favorite Aya.

Ye is a name with a lovely meaning, which is probably just a bit short for usage outside the Chinese community. Paired with Mei, however, it could work. Ye-Mei would mean beautiful leaf, a lovely name for an autumnal daughter.

Short and sweet alternative to Mia, Mila, Maya, et al.