Two Syllable Names for Girls

Easton is a stylish Waspy-sounding surname that's climbing up the popularity charts. TV actress Elisabeth Rohm named her daughter Easton August Anthony, which seemed like a real gender bender, and now Rachel Leigh Cook has made it the middle name of her baby Charlotte. Note that Easton is now in the Top 100 for boys--for whom directional names are a real trend-- but we won't be surprised to see more and more little lady Eastons arriving.

Thaisa is a variation of the ancient Greek Thais that was used by Shakespeare for the wife of Pericles. This literary princess name is rare and attractive.

A pretty Roman name, but unfortunately also the English vocabulary word mania. Spelling it Manya would avoid the issue.

The name of a character in the once scandalous novel Valley of the Dolls now sounds a little more dated than the similar Arden.

A fresher, feistier Italian variant of Marcia.

Feels more modern than the Y version but also less authentic.

A deity of fate and destiny in Latvian and Lithuanian mythology. Laima prophesizes how the life of a newborn will take place — sometimes there was only one Laima, while in other cases three Laimas would give contradicting predictions.

Lithe and leonine name chosen for her daughter by singer Erykah Badu -- whose other child has the number name Seven.

Heron fits in with the modern nature names that are so stylish at the moment, but it also has history as the name of a Greek inventor and Egyptian saint. Both were male, but Heron's image as a word name makes it accessible for girls as well.

Tenzan is a variation of Tenzin, a name with special significance for Buddhists, being the first name of the Dalai Lama.

This spelling twist on the word name Story could make it lean less whimsical and literary and more trendy and Kardashian, a la Storm vs. Stormi. Equally, it could make it feel like less of a word name and more like a nickname as given name, along the lines of Rori, Tori and Lori.

A trendy choice that takes a little from Riley and a little from Kayleigh, to create the rather appealing meaning, "beam of light in the meadow".

Form of Silviana

A popular Israeli baby name inspired by Mount Arbel in the north, which overlooks the Sea of Galilee.

More famously spelled Wallis as a feminine name: the woman for whom the King of England abdicated the throne.

Kiley is one of the more reasonable of the Kylie variations, which also include Kilea, Kilee, Kileigh, Kili, Kilie, Kylee, Kyley, Kyli, ad infinitum. Despite its similarity to the popular Riley, the high ranking Kylie will ensure that this choice comes with spelling confusion. For our part, we'd rather people stuck with the original Kylie, especially seeing as that is a Noongar Aboriginal word.

Only slightly fewer girls are named Brandi each year than Brandy, 45 versus 57 in the US. Both spellings have their advantages and disadvantages.