Two Syllable Names for Girls

English speakers might want to pronounce this lovely name like the familiar Mary or Merry, but the correct Persian pronunciation includes the h -- meh-ree.

The name Kiri was made famous by New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, whose original name was Claire. Cute but slight, Kiri is close to several other names from Kiriah to Keira to Kyra and its diminutive Kyrie.

Tegwen is nowhere near as pretty as its meaning. Other -wen names -- Anwen, Bronwen, Rhonwen -- have more appeal.

Samhain is a traditional Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter (usually halfway between the equinox and solstice). Today it often coincides with the evening of Halloween (31st October), making it a unique option for a Halloween baby or one of the season-related names for autumn babies. The name has a slightly unflattering sound to the English-speaking ear, but might be a special choice for those with Celtic roots.

It may take another generation or so, but this category of Hettie-Lettie-Lottie names could make a comeback.

Long integrated into the U. S. name pool but still retaining some Slavic flavor, Tanya feels a bit tired; it's ready for replacement by cooler Russian choices like Sasha, Mischa, or parent name Tatiana.

Out-of-the-ordinary gemstone name derived from lapis lazuli, which is said to enhance awareness and intellect, impart ancient wisdom and cure many ailments, making it an interesting possibility for a blue-eyed girl. Lazuli — or Azure or Blue — are other options.

Sonny is one of the term of endearment names on the rise, and it feels like a fresh option for girls as an alternative spelling of bright nature name Sunny or a cute gender-bending nickname name.

There's more than one reason why parents might consider this rising name for a daughter. George Eliot was the pen name of English writer Mary Ann Evans, one of the leading authors of the Victorian era. The possibility of nickname Ellie is another factor.

Too tightly tied to the acronym for the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Diablo Cody, self-named (she's really Brook Busey) screenwriter of Juno, singlehandedly helped popularize not just her heroine's name and her own but all o-ending names for girls. You don't need us to tell you that it takes a brave parent, in every way, to name a baby Diablo. Diablo is one of the Spanish baby names that diverges furthest from the well-paved camino.

There was a time when French names like Annette, Paulette – and Nanette – were chic, but now, we'd have to say "No, no, Nanette".

An early unisex nature name that has been surpassed by others, Dale is still a simple, sylvan and serene option.

This variant of Gianna has been in the US Top 1000 for most of the 21st century and hit a peak in 2010 at Number 568. The original spelling outranks the trimmed down version by far.

Candice is the spelling of this ancient name used by actress Candice Bergen. Candice is a form of Candace, an ancient title of a dynasty of Ethiopian queens mentioned in the New Testament.

Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English-speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive — probably because of that "sure" sound.

A distinctive mythological name. likely derived from the Maya elements of ix and chel meaning "lady" and "rainbow" respectively, Ixchel was a Mayan Goddess associated with the moon, pregnancy, medicine, jaguars, the earth, and water.