Two Syllable Names for Girls

Joining Maia, Raya, and Kaia, is alluring, evocative Zaia.

Riley is the spelling of this lively Irish name most often picked for girls, but this version is occasionally used.

A punchy alternative to Pearl as it gains popularity.

Letha is taken from Lethe, the mythological River of Oblivion. Letha now sounds as if it's missing a first syllable.

Has a musty 1940s feel. Try Georgia -- or Georgiana.

Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and seven boys were named July in 2013, putting this month name into the class of gender neutral names.

Caitlyn is following all variations on the Irish classic Caitlin down the US baby name charts, following decades of popular usage. The original Anglicized form Kathleen is now starting to feel fresher than these more modern forms.

Themis was the Titan -- one of the Elder Gods (or in this case Goddesses) -- of Justice and Order, usually depicted blindfolded and holding the scales of justice. Themis was the mother of the Fates and the seasons. While her name has fallen from mortal use, Themis might rise again along with such rediscovered goddess names as Aurora and Juno.

This form of the Biblical Rachel is well-used despite its somewhat counter-intuitive spelling which can make English speakers think the name should be pronounced with a k sound, as in Raquel. The spelling may be inspired by Michael, but it's pronounced just like Rachel, with a soft ch. Lately it's on the decline, dropping more than 100 places in 2009 and leaving the US Top 1000 in 2013.

Cashmere is soft, luxurious -- and way out of the ordinary. One of the unique names found in The Hunger Games series.

Joining Lennon and Bowie in the realm of gender-neutral, classic rock-inspired names that feel fashionable today is Jovi — as in Bon Jovi. Jovi is a variation of the Latin Jove — another name for the Roman god of the sky, Jupiter.

This variation of Jordan entered the Top 1000 in 1989. Jordyn as well as Jordan trended throughout the 90s and early 2000s, but are beginning to fall slightly on the girls' side. While the Jordan spelling reached the highest point in popularity out of the 2, making it into the Top 50 in the late 90s and early 2000s, today Jordyn has taken the lead.

Biblical name from the New Testament.

Roni may sound like the Doowop-era Ronnie or Ronni, often named for her dad Ron, but it's actually a freestanding Hebrew name with an uplifting meaning.

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

Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year.

A good cultural crossover choice for Chinese-American parents, Meilin has a beautiful meaning, an on-trend sound, and is straightforward in terms of pronunciation in an English-speaking environment. Meilin is also the name of the protagonist of Pixar's film, Turning Red.

Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.