Two Syllable Names for Girls

St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, and her feast day on January 25 is the equivalent of Valentine's day in Wales. The short form Dwyn may be more manageable for the non-Welsh.

With Henley and Kinsley two of the most popular new ley-ending baby names for girls, why not Hensley? We can think of several reasons, but if you like this style of name, Hensley is as attractive as any.

This pretty Finnish name is a diminutive of a diminutive, going from Sarah to Sari to Saija.

This name stems from an Irish word meaning sullen, but in the Isle of Man is used to refer to sullen weather, rather than sullen people (hence the tempest meaning). It's a cute and spunky name that could easily work outside Manx circles.

Modern feminine form of Xavier

Alternative (rarer) spelling of Roxanne.

Jeanie is a midcentury bobby soxer kind of nickname that might almost be so old it's new again.

Lieke is the more common variation of this name in the Netherlands, but the more intuitive Lieka spelling may be preferable if you're raising a child in a country that predominantly speaks English.

Miara is a Jewish surname that has sparingly been used as a first name since the 1990s. It is likely of Mizrahi Jewish origin — from North Africa and the Middle East — and evidence of the surname goes back to at least the 19th century.

Riva's cooler daughter.

This contemporary creation plays on a couple of trends by applying the attractive Z to the rhyming family of names including Hailey, Bailey, and Kayley. The -ee suffix is the icing on the cake. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2015.

Cendrine derives from Cendrillon, the French form of Cinderella. It's quite uncommon, even in France, but if the fairy tale made a big impression on you, it could be a sweet tribute.

This spelling of Naomi guarantees you'll get the pronunciation you desire.

Sometimes used a Dutch diminutive of Marie, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

A simple and beautiful Sanskrit name with a strong meaning, Aanya is made familiar by its similarity of Anya and Aine. It made a very brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2014 before declining in popularity slightly, and is now given to around 160 girls each year. A rare but straightforward choice, the name is featured in the popular animated series The Dragon Prince.

Christy was one of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.