Two Syllable Names for Girls

Linked to one of the great screen beauties, but has never appealed much to Americans.

Jagger, made famous as the surname of Rolling Stone Mick, gets an entry in the girls' column thanks to Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross, who chose it for their daughter. For either gender, this name rocks...but a bit jaggedly. Currently, there are nearly 20 times as many baby boys than girls are given the name Jagger. That balance may shift, making Jagger a more truly gender neutral name.

In centuries gone past, no one would have considered this occupational surname for their daughter; tanners were associated with terrible smells and stained skin as a result of the processes used to treat hides to make leather. But now, we see increasing numbers of parents in the US choosing this for their girls. Given the popularity of other two-syllable T names like Taylor and Tyler, Tanner has some appeal for those looking for a non-frilly name for their girls. For what it is worth, we prefer the Greek name Tana, which has an infinitely more pleasant meaning.

Old-style arty.

Eisele was originally a nickname for the Old German given name Isenhart, which derived from Isenlin — a nickname for a blacksmith.

Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.

The literal word for "spring" in many Slavic languages and the name of an ancient Slavic springtime deity.

Maisel is a German-Jewish surname, brought into the spotlight as that of Miriam Maisel, aka The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The TV show, which premiered in 2017, has led to small numbers of girls given the name in recent years. It feels like a blend of stylish vintage names Maisie and Hazel.

This once-cool nickname-y name now belongs to the grandma generation.

This affectionate nickname was historically used for children with strong pink undertones, and was given as a first name several times throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. We prefer it as a pet name these days, or perhaps as a nickname for the stronger and more striking name Pink.

Hydra is the largest of the 88 constellations, whose name was inspired by Hydra of Lerna, a serpentine, multi-headed monster of Greek mythology who resided in Lake Lerna.

Typhaine (sometimes spelled Tiphaine) is an extremely rare girls name used occasionally in France, Switzerland and Jersey. The name derives from the Greek root words for epiphany. Typhaine might be considered an alternative to the tired Tiffany.

Dovie was a fairly popular nickname name a century or more ago, dropping off the Top 1000 in the 1940s only to be heading straight back uphill now.

This would be tough enough for a boy to handle, but near impossible for a girl.

This perky Spanish nickname deserves to be more popular. Singer Michael Bublé recently used it as one of the middle names for his daughter Cielo, which may give Yoli a boost.

Talwyn is a contemporary Cornish word name that can be pronounced with the emphasis on either syllable. With its fashionable -wyn ending, Talwyn could easily be used on an American-born baby.