Two Syllable Names for Girls

Zeila, the name of a port town in Somalia, has cultural resonance and an appealing sound.

Smooth and evocative, but not very namelike.

The name of a beautiful village on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, Veryan actually derives from a series of misunderstandings: Sen Veryan ("Saint Veryan") is a Cornish corruption of Severian, which is itself a corrupted form of the saint’s name Symphorian, to whom the village church at Veryan is dedicated.

From an Arabic word meaning "girl".

While the Cailin spelling doesn't appear on popularity charts, other forms such as Kaylin and Kaylen do, along with several similar names, from Caitlin to Jalen to Kayla. The result: a name that feels more common than it actually is.

A springtime baby name appropriate for either sex.

Tertia—which is occasionally used in the UK, but rarely in the US, would make an unconventional but interesting possibility for the third child in a family. Terza and Terzo are lively Italian female and male variations.

Chibi is Japanese slang for someone or something small (and typically cute). It is not used as a given name in the real world, however, a number of anime characters are named Chibi.

Lupin is an unusual flower name with roots in Old French, from the Latin lupinus, meaning "pertaining to the wolf". In the literary world, it's the surname of Remus Lupin, a popular character in the Harry Potter franchise and a werewolf.

Featured in several anime series.

This feminine version of the Welsh name Carwyn could be a good choice for parents looking for something fresher than Bronwen.

Zayna is a simplified spelling of Zaynab, the name of the eldest daughter of Muhammad, and also the feminine version of Zayn. Zaina is a widely-used spelling variation. Zainabu is another form of the name, also found in Swahili.

Variant of Marianne

Launa is the Hawaiian verb meaning "to meet," but many will hear this as Lana with a New Jersey accent, or Lorna with a stuffy nose.

An unusual but beautifully simple name, possibly a variation on Aelwen, that belongs to a river in north-east Wales. It may appeal if you like similar names like Arwen, Anwen and Olwen.