Two Syllable Names for Girls
- Janae
Origin:
American, modern elaboration of Jane or JanDescription:
Adds a soupcon of French flair to some old classics with the currently trendy ae ending.
- Alda
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"wave"Description:
Alda's brother name Aldo has been a mainstay of the U.S. popularity chart for decades now, and the related Alden is soaring up as well. This version has never really caught on. (Maybe it's the association with Alan Alda: great actor, unlikely namesake for a little girl.) However, there is possible hope now that Alba and Alma are on the rise. Aida and Arden are more familiar alternatives.
- Auriel
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"gold"Description:
Auriel is a Roman name that was revived during the nineteenth-century craze for unique names. Could make an interesting substitution for the popular Aurora or Ariel.
- Sarnai
Origin:
MongolianMeaning:
"rose"Description:
Reminiscent of Sarai, with a beautiful floral meaning.
- Kiona
Origin:
Native AmericanMeaning:
"brown hills"Description:
Striking and accessible choice.
- Yumi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"archery bow"Description:
This Japanese name is easily accessible to English speakers, and has a cool archery meaning. It first made the US charts in 1960, and was given to under 47 girls in 2022: still rare, but more popular than it's ever been before.
- Madden
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little dog"Description:
It’s unlikely Madden will be the next Madison, but we do love hearing this famous football surname on baby girls. Madden is on the rise now, having been given to 108 baby girls in 2022, compared to just 88 in 2021.
- Nazli
Origin:
Turkish, PersianMeaning:
"beautiful, delicate"Description:
In Turkish, the name is transcribed as Nazlı, with a dotless I.
- Clayton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"place with good clay"Description:
Clayton is a surprisingly traditional name on the boys' side, ranking among the US Top 1000 for boys for its entire history. Girls named Clayton have been fewer and further between, but there's no reason this this place name can't work for baby girls too, ala Payton.
- Raziah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the Lord's secret"Description:
One of a number of Hebrew girls' namestarting with Raz. Others include Razel, Raziela,Razili and Raziya.
- Empress
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"Female ruler of an empire, consort of an Emperor"Description:
Yet another noble name to join King, Prince, Princess, et al. The name Empress was given to over 100 baby girls in the US last year.
- Emmett
Origin:
English; HebrewMeaning:
"truth; universal"Description:
Emmett has had an interesting and unusual gender history. A long-obscure masculinization of Emma, Emmett is now rising as a boys' name as a companion to the very popular Emma and Emily. And at the same time, Emmett itself is seen by a handful of parents as a new spin for girls on those uber-popular choices. While the Emmet spelling might still seem most masculine, the extra T in Emmett does make it seem girl-appropriate. Emmette is an even more feminine spelling. But don't be too alarmed: There were over 3000 boys named Emmett in one recent year compared to only 13 girls.
- Vivianne
Origin:
Variant of Vivian, LatinMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vivian is the classic spelling, now in the Top 100, while Vivien is the most common alternative. This one foregrounds the "Anne," and so could serve as a nod to a relative or friend by that name.
- Dellen
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"petal"Description:
Intriguing combo of elements.
- Luiseach
Origin:
Irish, from the deity name LughDescription:
Authentically spelled Luíseach (with Luighsech as a variant), this obscure saint's name is thought to derive from the mythological figure Lugh, perhaps a reflex of an older god. Luíseach is sometimes considered the Irish version of Lucy. In fact, they are historically separate names, but if Lugh derives from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "shining" then they are very distant cousins.
- Halsey
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hallowed island"Description:
Name of World War II hero that sounds feminine today. Worth update of Holly, Hallie, or cousins.
- Pele
Origin:
Hawaiian goddess of fireDescription:
Pele is a female name in Hawaiian culture that could make a provocative choice for a modern girls. Others might think you named your daughter after the all-time great soccer player, but the simple, rare, and lovely name Pele has mythological roots.
- Saylah
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Saylah is a name manufactured from elements of Sailor (or Saylor) and Kaylah (or Kayla) to make one of those unique baby names that's not quite genuine. Still, it has a pretty sound and is superior to such inventions as, say, Scarla.
- Narin
Origin:
Turkish and KurdishMeaning:
"delicate, fragile, slender"Description:
Narin in Turkish and Narîn in Kurdish, this name has a sleek and sophisticated sound.
- Embry
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"flat-topped hill"Description:
Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight, we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to Emma, Emily, or Aubrey. Embry or Embury is an established English surname.