Two Syllable Names for Girls

Ailla is a name with many possible derivations, including Cornish (possibly meaning "beautiful"), French (deriving from Ailler, meaing Garlic), Finnish (related to Helga) and Turkish (where it may have a meaning connected to moonlight). None of these derivations are very clear; what is certain is that Ailla is a name with a beautiful sound and an international flavor.

Charlie in all its forms has been a popular gender neutral name since the early 2000s and is now given almost equally to girls and boys. While it did once lean more (statistically) masculine, it has been used on girls too since the before the 20th century.

Top 10 in Turkey and Top 500 in the Netherlands (which has a high Turkish population), this sleek and pretty name is virtually unknown elsewhere.

Gentle, pleasant, and succinct, Layan is a popular choice across the Arab world and related to other well-loved Arabic choices, such as Alina, Leen, and Lina. Familiar in The UK, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium too, it has been on the rise in the US since the early 2000s and now sits just outside the Top 1000. With Leila, Lila, and Aaliyah already well known among English speakers, Layan could translate well. In sound, it is a little like Leanne, while in appearance it is reminiscent of Lainey and Layla - all of which makes it a friendly, cross-cultural choice with a nice meaning.

This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.

This spelling variation of the Biblical place-name Sela is found on early American census roles, but Sela is more usual today. Cella is another early variation.

Everyone is loving Lu- names nowadays, so why not add this sweet East African one to your list?

Kizzy was a character in Alex Haley's Roots; this and other Keziah variations were widely used among enslaved people. In Roots the name is explained by the hero Kunta as 'you sit down' or 'you stay put' in the Mandinka language meaning that 'this child would never get sold away'.

Mango is one fruit name best left untasted, unless you're naming a cat or looking for a nickname for a name like Manuela or even Margaret.

Nuri might be a nickname for the place name Nuria, popular in Spain and Portugal as a honorific for the Virgin Mary. Nuri is also a usually-masculine name heard in the Middle East, but to the Western ear it might work for girls or boys.

The Etain (or more properly Étaín) of Irish mythology was a beautiful fairy turned into a fly (or in some versions, a butterfly), by a jealous queen. The insect Étaín fell into a glass of milk and was swallowed by yet another queen, then reborn as a beautiful maiden. Its pronunciation is similar to the number eighteen.

This once vivacious midcentury nickname is rarely used for modern babies.

Minuet is delicate, dancey, and lacy, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel. Is Minuet a real name? Not really, though similar-sounding French names such as Minette and Manette are.

Avneet is a name usually seen in the Sikh Indian community. Actress Avneet Kaur is a notable bearer of this name.

This feminine version of the Welsh name Carwyn could be a good choice for parents looking for something fresher than Bronwen.

A modern spelling of the word name Maven, referring to an expert, sage or connoisseur, influenced by the trending Irish name Maeve.

Eachna is the name of an Irish goddess renowned for her beauty, brains and stylishness; in early legend, a Connacht princess named Eachna was deemed to be one of the loveliest and cleverest women int he world.

Eachna is pronounced ahk-na, so despite its nice namesake story, it would provide a pronunciation challenge outside the Irish culture.

Caylee was the third fastest-rising name in 2009 and peaked then at Number 263, but has since dropped in the charts, perhaps due to the Caylee Anthony association.