Two Syllable Names for Girls

New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New Zealand, also called the Mousehole Tree.

A bit blunt.

Derived from 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).

According to local legend in the Canary Islands, Gara was a young princess who fell in love with a peasant's son, Jonay. Their relationship was condemned by a local priest and the day of their marriage a great earthquake shook the islands. The couple fled together and, according to legend, committed joint suicide at a peak on the island of La Gomera now known as Garajonay Peak.

We all know that Chaka really means disco.

God'iss Love is the full name of the daughter of R & B singer Lil' Mo, who decided to move beyond Trinity and Genesis and turn her child's name into a statement. Her sister is called Heaven.

Hatty is an old school nickname for Harriet, itself an old-fashioned choice. The more usual spelling historically is Hattie, with was given to more than 750 baby girls last year in the US, three times as many as were named Harriet. Hatty, by contrast, was used for fewer than five babies -- quite a contrast!

Simple, pretty, and delicate.

Light and cheerful, Gal·la is used for girls in its native Catalonia. The Spanish form Gala is even more popular both there and throughout Spain, and this spelling travels more easily around the world.

For an American girl, the double "I" might be a problem as a child, but an attention-getting talking point as an adult.

This short form is used by supermodel Ekat Kiseleva.