Two Syllable Names for Girls

There may have been a time when Americans who heard this name thought of something other than the rapper Ludacris, and there may come another such time at some point in the future, but for now, it's probably best left to the man who was born Christopher Bridges.

This Scottish surname and Scottish and Australian place name has a pleasant airy and breezy sound to it. Camden mayor Lara Symkowiak chose the name for her daughter born in 2016.

Hodaya is within the Top 20 in Israel.

Though Shuri is a well-established unisex name in Japan, most parents considering it now will be thinking instead of the iconic Princess Shuri from Marvel's Black Panther, memorably played in the 2018 movie by Letitia Wright. The movie character, sister to King T'Challa, is strong, smart and winning enough to make a great namesake -- and it's worth noting that in the Black Panther comics, Shuri eventually becomes Black Panther.

Name of both a goddess and a heroine in Irish mythology, it's popular in Ireland and possible here, especially in its Anglicized spelling, Grania.

An ancient Irish saint's name derived from the same root as the popular Aidan.

De-Frenchifies Jolie.

One of the new literalist religious names, like Blessing, Heavenly and Neveah. More male than female, but essentially unisex.

Pretty, zippy and almost unknown, this Italian name would suit a third child.

An Arabic name that can easily cross cultures. Janan might make a distinctive honor name for an ancestral Jan, Jane, or John.

Adrian is an ancient gender-neutral name and Adri is its pan-European short form. Adriana is the most popular feminine form of the name in the US, followed by Adrianna, Adrienne, and then the unisex spelling Adrian. Adri works as a nickname for any of them.

Thayer sounds like a modern update '90s success-story Taylor — although it's much rarer and will likely never reach Taylor's heights. It is also reminiscent of currently trendy Thea, which could also be used as a nickname.

The name was used in the Channel Island, Jersey. It is believed to be derived from the Latin root word "Bene" meaning good.