Two Syllable Names for Girls

The well-known phrase "hale and hearty" gives this name a warm, positive feel. Hale is clean and straightforward but doesn't crack the top 1000 for either gender. For those in search of a namesake, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale would make a strong one.

A name from Irish history and legend, deriving from the Gaelic word for the raven. Uncommon in contemporary Ireland, although the related name Fiachra is a Top 250 choice there.

Karou is the blue-haired, tattooed protagonist of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy; her name means "hope" in the language of the chimaera who raised her. Reminiscent of sweet European diminutives like Lilou, Malou and Milou, but with a bit more bite.

A sweet and punchy Japanese name with a celestial meaning.

An attractive, sparky name which gives cute nicknames Kit, Kitty, Kitzi or Kizzy. It may be based on the Biblical Keziah, meaning "cinnamon tree".

The advantage of Orsa over the arguably-more-attractive Ursula is that it breaks the tie to the hideous she-witch of The Little Mermaid. Orsa definitely feels more ready for modern life now that brother name Orson is on the rise.

A family of plants traditionally used for their relaxing properties.

Catalan form of Amparo, found especially in Valencia.

With Katya catching on, this sound-related name could too, though there is the Batgirl association. Basha, Basya, Batyah, Bitya, Peshe, Pessel (Yiddish).

Dariel is one of many similar forms and variations of different names—Dara, Dariela, Daria and Darya—that are all unusual and pretty if not quite authentic-feeling.

As the French Esme becomes more popular, it will inevitably spawn spelling variations. This one, like Zoey or Layla, clarifies pronunciation, so while we prefer the original, that's not a bad thing.

Sweet Irish saint's name related to the rising star Fiadh.

This variation of Marley is gaining momentum due to the popular -leigh suffix, which is all over the US popularity lists. This name in particular reentered the US Top 1000 in 2013.

Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter.

A name halfway between its old milquetoast image and a more jovial Irish-sounding contemporary one. Sounds more feminine than masculine these days.