Two Syllable Names for Girls

This spelling variation of the popular girls' nickname ranks behind the more traditional form—Allie (Number 255). This spelling could be hurt by the word name ally, which bears a different pronunciation.

Crimson could be a possible competitor for Scarlett's success, though it's lacking that Johansson charm.

One of the surname names for boys on its way to becoming unisex, this name broke into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013 for girls. While it sounds masculine to us, because of its two-syllable er-ending sound so trendy with boys’ names, many parents apparently disagree.

A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.

Fauna is the Roman goddess of the earth as well as one of the fairies who protected Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".

Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is especially promising, with its cross-cultural appeal. Ayla, a common name in Turkey, is also worth considering.

Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, but the original Xena spelling is cooler.

Eli is more often considered a Biblical classic for boys, with the name ranking in the Top 100 alongside Biblical choices for boys, like Elias, Elijah and Levi. Despite this, nearly 50 girls in the US were still called Eli last years. While some parents might have been following in the footsteps of those naming their daughters James, it could also be a spelling twist on familiar Ellie, or a short form of the Scandinavian names, Elisabet and Elin. Either way, with its similarity to Ellis, Ari, Elizabeth, Evie, Ivy, Riley, and Eden, there could be scope for Eli to be seen as a gender neutral option.

In the slipstream of Luna, this everywhere-and-nowhere international name, with its attractive liquid sound, is popular in several European countries along with Hawaii.

Kaori is a Japanese girls' name once largely unknown but brought into the spotlight by celebrity couple Eniko and Kevin Hart, who gave it to their daughter in 2020. Kaori is easily translated in the Western World; it's got a rhythmic sound and a familiar feel, maybe since it's similar to Maori, the name of the people and language of New Zealand. But the correct pronunciation is kow-ree.

A warm-sounding Arabic name with a gentle meaning, mentioned frequently in the Quran.

The French Miley? This trendy choice from Brittany, which is pronounced either as Miley or May-lee, is related to the traditional (male) saint's name Mael, traditionally feminized as Maelle.

Merritt becomes a virtue name when you eliminate the extra Rs and Ts. And as with many virtue names, Merit is on the rise for both girls and boys.

In the age of Billie and Charlie, Eddie seems like a plausible option for a girl – short for Edwina, Edith, Eluned or any girl name containing the letters E and D.

Linda begat Lynn which gave way to Lynette, which peaked in the late 1960s. Lynette has been off the Top 1000 for a couple decades now, and the Lynn variations finding the most favor are those that put the "lyn" part at the end: Evelyn, Madelyn, Brooklyn.

Miller is the third-most common surname in the United States and was one of the fastest-rising first names for both girls and boys in 2023.

A spunky boyish diminutive in the vein of Frankie, Billie and Charlie, but far less popular in the US. Georgie could be a nickname for Georgia, Georgette, Georgina or Georgiana – or just use it as it is, as over 90 sets of American parents did in 2021.