Two Syllable Names for Girls

The Old Norse word for "harp", also designating the constellation Lyra (which means "lyre" in Greek). It's popular in Iceland, where it is also the name of the first month of summer in the old Icelandic calendar.

This grandpa-esque nickname traditionally short for masculine names like Osmond, Oscar, or Oswald is starting to get traction on its' own, thanks to its cool, zippy sound. In the Top 1000 for boys in the UK and the US, 2023 saw it given to almost 600 American babies — 70 of which were girls.

Sure to be mispronounced.

The feminine form of the masculine name Diell, meaning "sun" in Albanian – making this a rare and striking celestial choice.

Curran is a curry-flavored Irish surname-y name that could work as well for girls as boys. Curran can be a fresher spin on the Twilight-inflected Cullen.

Cross-cultural unisex choice. Gohar is the primary spelling in Armenia and Iran, where the name is mostly feminine.

A name that literally means femininity, but which doesn't come across as too frilly or overdone, could be a nice choice for parents looking for a name to honor their daughter. Tanvi Shah, the first Indian woman to win a Grammy, is a notable bearer of this name.

An alternative name of the elf Tinúviel in The Lord of the Rings. Lúthien is an immortal elf maiden who chooses to make herself mortal to marry the human Beren. Their love story is told to Frodo by Aragorn, and the names Beren and Lúthien appear on the grave of Tolkien and his wife Edith.

A Welsh month name, from the word for reaping, that solves the problem of an attractive September name. It's rare but steadily used in Wales.

This Puritan virtue name may be unstylish, but it is also sympathetic and appealing in these largely uncomfortable times.