Two Syllable Names for Girls

Diamante was a commonly-used feminine name among Italian Jews in the Middle Ages. Today, it's more popular for boys than girls in the US.

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.

The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.

This Cameron variation was popularized by actress Camryn Manheim and the character inTwitches of the same name. It also makes it more obviously feminine, which might appeal to some parents, considering the classic Cameron is a Top 100 choice for boys in the US.

In a wave of vintage nickname revivals, cutesy Maisie — traditionally a nickname for Margaret or Mary — has been rising fast in recent years. And along for the ride are spelling variations Maisy and Mazie.

Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one generation or style.

Nylah is the Arabic name of a princess -- Nyla is another variation -- that's rising quickly through the ranks, partly thanks to an adorable kitty that enjoyed 15 minutes of YouTube fame. But we predict this attractive and unusual name will get a longer turn in the sun than the pop-culture cat.

Allaire, a last name in France. could make a first, with its light and airy feel.

The term for a female baker was Baxter, which ironically feels less appropriate for a baby girl than Baker itself. Josephine Baker was an American-born French entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist.

One of the rarer names to come from the Bible, Cherith has a fresh and modern sound despite its ancient roots. Cherith was the name of the stream that kept Elijah alive during the three years' drought which he announced to King Ahab. In English, Cherith pleasingly reminds one of the word cherish which is another plus to this underused girls' name.

Kyle is a Scottish male name while Kylie is an Aboriginal name meaning boomerang. Kyleigh might be seen as a feminine spin on Kyle or a spelling update of Kylie. A trendy choice longer on style than substance.

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.

A French name that's lost its chic.

With the rise of many once-dated leonine names, from Leona to Lionel to Leonora, Leandra is an unusual choice that might be looking at a comeback..

Popular name in Japan in its own right, but also as a nickname for Miyako or Makiko.

Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky nature name Primrose. Intuitive nicknames Penny or Rosie make it feel more wearable.

A sweet and lively name with two distinct derivations. It can be a short form of Sylvia or a variant spelling of its French form Sylvie, meaning "of the forest". Or, it can be a Norwegian and Swedish variant of Solveig, meaning "sun strength".

A diminutive of Anxela in the Galician language of north-eastern Spain. Also used as a modern invented name in the US, for example as a backwards spelling of Alex.

Eisele was originally a nickname for the Old German given name Isenhart, which derived from Isenlin — a nickname for a blacksmith.