Two Syllable Names for Girls

Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.

An adorable nickname for a smiley baby, but not suggested as a legal name.

A bit too self-congratulatory and, understandably, exceedingly rare. Still, if you're looking for a modern virtue name for your daughter, this may be one of the best qualities to exemplify.

Gaynor is an early androgynous name with a positive association, related to the Cornish megahit name Jennifer.

Somali and East African form of Hiba.

Ronit is only used on girls in Israel, but last year in the US it was given to more male than female babies.

Similar in look to Reverie, Revere is far-less dreamy. Connoting both the meaning (to admire or esteem) and the US Revoluntionary War patriot, Revere could make an interesting choice for a boy or a girl, and will likely appeal especially to those with Massachusetts connections.

Wenna is an early Cornish forms of Gwen, belonging to two 5th-century Cornish saints. Wenna could also be a shortened form of Conwenna, another beautiful Cornish name.

Pronounced mah-zah, Maaza means a pleasant scent, usually from a yellow daisy popular in Ethiopia. Hot young Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste introduced the name to our shores.

The origins of Jesiah are uncertain — is it biblical? A Josiah-Jesse mashup? We don't have the answer (sorry!), but we can tell you that Jesiah is a relatively rare alternative to Josiah, with the added benefit of being unisex in use.

Lexis is a condensation of Alexis, or the expression of a wish to drive a Lexus. Go with the longer form.

To some, Eloise will forever be the imperious little girl making mischief at the Plaza Hotel, while the original version Heloise recalls the beautiful and learned wife of the French philosopher Peter Abelard, admired for her fidelity and piety.

Updates Lindsey for the 21st century.

As with many other names, the y seems to make this name more girl-appropriate for some parents. About three-quarters of the babies named Austyn are female.