Two Syllable Names for Girls

Another name for the herb sage -- which sounds younger and more modern than this version.

Offbeat name sometimes heard in the African-American community.

If Frances and Fran are too serious for you, and Fanny too saucy, you might like Franny, still identified by some with J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey stories.

Together with the more common (in France) Jeannine spelling, this feminine form of Jean was most popular in the 1930s in its home country, and in the 1960s in the US. It's fallen off the Top 1000 list since, but perhaps cute retro nickname Jeannie could tempt some vintage-loving parents back.

Wildly popular name in France that could easily cross the Atlantic.

Pronounced klo-TEELD, this name is well used in France, but rarely heard here; it has a chic and sophisticated air.

Similar to Brielle and Riley, this name lags quite far behind these more common variations. It peaked at Number 622 in 2009 in the US, but it is now descending the ranks.

This Hindi girls' name is virtually unknown in the Western World but could translate easily, and the smooth meaning is a plus.

Mythological princess who killed her kids. Eternal no-no.

Barbie's little sister, and like Barbie, Skipper is one of many Kindercore names — evoking nostalgia through beloved childhood characters — that is getting more attention. Skipper debuted in the US charts in 2022.

Ivey can be considered an alternate spelling of the botanical name Ivy, but it also has separate origins as a surname. For the Anglo-Saxon Ivey line, Ivey means "son of Ive," while for the English-Norman Iveys, it means "person from Ivoy," a commune in the Cher department of France.

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.

This much less popular variation draws more from Karin.

The Japanese word for the land of the dead. It's not quite Heaven nor Hell, although it more closely resembles the latter. It's also the name of a video game, which is likely why five baby girls were named Yomi one recent year.

Adds a soupcon of French flair to some old classics with the currently trendy ae ending.

A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.

Karin was a fairly popular spelling variation of Karen in the US but fell off the Top 1000 in the late 80s, as Karen's popularity wained. Today, the Karen meme interferes with the otherwise appealing sound of this name.

Marvel, now a character name in The Hunger Games series, was a miracle name of yesterday, on the girls' Social Security list until 1941 and reaching a high of 487 at the turn of the last century, when Marva was also in style.