Two Syllable Names for Girls

Glory sounds fresh and uplifting and a lot more modern than Gloria (which is definitely feeling the stirrings of a revival, though some might still view it as a terminal Old Lady name). Glory, as in "Glory Be" and "Old Glory," has both a religious and a patriotic flavor.

Tippi is best known as the nickname of actress Tippi Hedren, star of Hitchcock's "The Birds" and "Marnie." Hedren's real name was Nathalie Kay; her father dubbed her Tippi. Although the name will inevitably be reminiscent of Hedren, it could make a cute short form for a name such as Tiffany or Philippa.

Dania is a fun, offbeat name with international flair.

A variation of the name Nere, both choices are distinctive and accessible. In the Top 20 in Spain.

The combined inspiration of reggae master Bob and the dog-loving romp "Marley and Me" catapulted this name up the chart in recent years. But what goes up....

A phonetic spelling of the English word name Lady, popularized in Latin America after the marriage of Lady Diana Spencer, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997. Could also be a nickname for Adelaide.

So sweet it makes our teeth hurt. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 2006, though it dropped a significant 136 places from 2014 to 2015, and kept dropping to Number 974 in 2016.

Dido was the heroine of Virgil's Aeneid and of the opera "Dido and Aeneas," and in Roman mythology the founder of Carthage. A strong ancient name in the Juno mode, but it could have some awkward associations down the line.

The Selma-Thelma-Velma connection dates it.

An Arabic name with a powerful and alluring meaning, in Islamic tradition, Isra refers to one part of the Night Journey that the Prophet Muhammad, in which he led other prophets such as Ibrahim, Isa, and Musa in prayer. Popular in Belgium, the UK, and the Netherlands, it is climbing the US charts.

Desi makes Desiree a lot cuter and more boyish.

Agathe is a hugely popular name in contemporary France, even if it's English-speaking counterparts have not yet warmed to the usual English version, Agatha. The French pronunciation is sure to trip up non-French speakers.

Beautiful Indigenous name connected to visual artist Dyani White Hawk. Dyani was most popular in 2001, when it was given to 73 baby girls.

A flinty mineral name that puts a feminine spin on Micah, or short form of the biblical Michal.

This feminine name, pleasingly reminiscent of Kismet, has a similarly lovely meaning: Rainbow.

More unusual alternative to Tiara.

Literary hero Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is now inspiring the names of baby girls. His sister Phoebe’s name would be the more conventional pick, but if girls are being called Hayden and Hudson, Holden is certainly fair game as well.

French Canadian singer Dion made us notice this variation, but most parents would prefer the Selene spelling.

Eighties spin on megapopular Whitney that currently ranks higher than the original. Whitley fell out of the Top 1000 for several decades but resurfaced in 2018.