Two Syllable Names for Girls

This 1950s Welsh bird name sounds less dated than our fifties Robin.

Lissa might be an abbreviation of Melissa, but it's more substantial in its own right: Lissa is the name of a supreme mother goddess in African mythology and an Arabic symbol of rebirth.

Rowan has been shooting up the charts on both the boys' and the girls' side, carrying the appeals of a trendy "o" vowel, a soft sound, and a nature connection to top it off. The modern variation Rowyn has followed in its footsteps and while the traditional spelling is used five times more often, Rowyn is still given to around 250 girls each year.

This abbreviated spelling, which also relates to Whitney, quickly took on a life of its own, thanks to the megafame of Britney Spears, but it's already beginning to burn out.

Abbie is a gently old-fashioned nickname name that owes its rising popularity to Top 10 Abigail. Abby may be the more usual spelling today.

This obscure name from Greek mythology (Merope was one of the Pleiades) is better known from J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter series, as the name of Tom Riddle's ill-fated mother.

While Meron looks like a variation of Maren or Marion, her origins are in Ethiopia: Meron is the name of the holy oil used for christenings in the Ethiopian Orthodox church.

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.

The mother goddess Ishtar (also called, or identified with, Ashtoreth, Ashtoret, Astarte and Inanna) was worshipped by the Assyrians and Babylonians as the goddess of love, war, justice and fertility. While the original meaning is unknown, the name possibly derives from "Attar" meaning the morning star. She has been equated with the Greek Aphrodite.

Largely male throughout Europe, this name--spelled with or without the c, is an energetic choice that has really taken off for girls here; it's been used for the daughters of Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, and Vanessa Williams. The Barack Obamas use Sasha as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. Sasha Alexander, on the TV show Rizzoli & Isles, was born Suzana.

One of the better-known Japanese names.

Jonquil is an unusual flower name that is less outlandish than Daffodil and less common than Daisy. It just might appeal to parents seeking a singular botanical option.

Unlike most flower names, Jonquil wasn't introduced until the 1940s, and saw some usage in the U.K. during the forties and fifties.

In the Bible, daughter of King Saul and wife of King David.

The Persian goddess of sacrifice, also linked to marriage, oaths, and love.

Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.

A modern Japanese name meaning "future", borne by figure skater Mirai Nagasu. The name is technically unisex, but more often given to girls. Mirai is also a Shona female given name, meaning "wait".

Lovis is Lovisa's quirkier counterpart — if you're searching for a name that combines Scandinavian style with retro darlings Avis and Mavis, Lovis could be your girl.

A nickname in the Siri and Suri vein, Simi seems a bit simulated but also has some charm, ala Remi and Emmy. And Simi definitely cutens up the serious sophisticated long forms Simone or Simcha.

A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi.

Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for just over 50 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 700+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though 45 were named Leslie. Once one of the most widely-used girl names starting with L, Lesley and Leslie now trail behind trendy L-starting girl names like Layla and Lily.