Two Syllable Names for Girls

An old-timey boyish nickname that works as a diminutive of Leona or Leonie, Alondra, Lorna or any female name with strong L and N sounds.

Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls, and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar.

A name that's unknown in the US and Britain but is popular as a nature name in Finland. May also be known as a Hungarian variation of Amelia and a Spanish form of Wilhelmina.

Cute, distinctive diminutive for this regal-sounding name.

Freddie, especially with the ie ending, is one of the old-school boy-names-for-girls that came into vogue at the turn of the last century. Freddie, all on its own, ranked among the Top 1000 girl names until 1958, but in 2021 it was given to just 8 baby girls. Maybe that makes it prime for a comeback, ala Billie?

High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.

Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.

Cute boyish nickname for Thomasina, Thomasin or Tamsin.

A stylish French name which ultimately derives from Adelaide, via the Occitan form Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin, also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.

A star in the constellation Triangulum Australe, also the name of a publishing imprint and an assisted living corporation, probably because it has that streamlined corporate I-could-be-a-car-name feel. Atria is the plural of the more familiar term for an entry hall or foyer, atrium.

Though Tristan was the male figure in the romantic legend and his name has become trendy for boys, it's used now for girls, too: About 15 percent of the baby Tristans are female. And about three times as many girls are named Tristan as are named Isolde, Tristan's mythical female counterpart. There are also feminizations of Tristan, such as Tristana and Tristine, but these are much more rare than the original.

In France it's sometimes bestowed as a patriotic gesture; in English-speaking places it has an air of genteel sophistication.

This unusual and appealing form of Laura is popular in sections of Wales.

Ylva may look like it belongs with the Eva family of names, but it actually derives from Ulf, a name meaning "wolf." It's not a very intuitive name to English-speakers, and likely won't get picked up in the US anytime soon. At last count, it was only given to five American baby girls.

A sweet, simple Sanskrit name which would work in many languages and has an sparkling, colorful meaning.

This name of the final service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is sometimes given symbolically to girls born on that day.

Likely a feminised form of Areli (one of Gad’s sons according to Genesis), Arely is a Spanish girls’ name with Hebrew roots meaning "the voice of God." Most common among Spanish-speakers (and a fairly popular name in Spain), Arely might be a great choice for parents looking for a name with Biblical roots that still sounds trendy and feminine and wears well across cultures.

Cute nickname of Angela and other angelic names, Angie is now being used on its own, although its popularity has fallen in recent years. That said, Angie is one of those surprising classics, hanging on in the girls' Top 1000 continuously since its inception in 1880.