Two Syllable Names for Girls

A phonetic variation of the Biblical Selah.

The Estonian writer Mats Tõnisson created Milvi as a nickname for Miranda. It's also connected to the Estonian word miilama, meaning "glow" or "burn slowly".

In the Middle Ages, Margaret became Margery, Cecilia became Cecily, and Amabel became Mabel ... and Mabely. Chaucer mentions the name briefly in The Canterbury Tales. It's rare - and maybe a shade too close to cosmetics company - Maybelline - but has some potential appeal for parents after something like Emily and Avery, but much less common.

An Ethiopian name that means "joy."

Iselle was a hurricane during the 2014 season, but the name's origins are a mystery. Despite the lack of backstory, Iselle could fit right in with recent favorites like Isabelle and Giselle.

Old man's name just conceivable for a girl--makes a new spin on Wendy.

One-time girl next door -- and dream girl -- name has followed mama Jean down the ladder and out of the picture.

Some sources say Mele is a South Sea Islander form of Mary, but it's also a name in its own right meaning song.

Lenia is part Lena and part Leni, a full name that started life as a short form of most any name ending or beginning with a Len sound. While Lena was used for more than 1000 baby girls in the US last year and Leni was used for nearly 100, Lenia was given to fewer than five. But Lenia is one of the most popular baby girl names in Switzerland.

The first bride on "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire." -- not the classiest of names.

The K-spelling of Carter has been in the boys' Top 1000 since 2005. In 2014, Karter cracked the girls' Top 1000, too. Karter joins the plethora of surnames turned boys' names that are now entering the world of girls' names as well. This particular one also has the trendy Kardashian-Esque "K" beginning. The Carter spelling entered the Top 1000 for girls around the same time but currently sits higher up in the charts, hovering just around the Top 500.

If you can get past the unintuitive J (it's pronounced like a Y), Fjolla is a perky and attractive girl name. It is derived from the Albanian word for snowflake, fjollë, and is most common in Kosovo.

Written as Genève, it's the authentic name of Switzerland's capital. The English version, Geneva, is more common as a baby name in the US.

A rare and warmer version of Clotilde, in combination with the Greek name Cleo. The first recorded use of Cleotilde was in 1894. It peaked in 1924 when 16 baby girls were named Cleotilde.

Tazu has a certain snazzy appeal.

Swati is the Indian name for Arcturus, the third-brightest star in the sky. Actress, comedian and writer Mindy Kaling gave her daughter (born in 2017) the middle name Swati, after her mother.