Two Syllable Names for Girls

A surnamier take on Isla. Isley may be derived from the German occupational surname Eisele (of the same pronunciation), or be related to the Old English word hesli, meaning "hazel grove."

Tosca is one operatic heroine that has never taken off as a baby name -- there were no babies named Tosca in the US last year -- but it's the name of entrepreneur Elon Musk's sister so may benefit from some referred publicity.

Davis may seem an unlikely choice for a girl, but over 50 baby girls received the name in the US last year, perhaps in honor of an ancestral David. Viola Davis is a notable female namesake.

Jaliyah seems to be a variation of the popular Aliyah, which has both Hebrew and Arabic origins. From Hebrew, the name means "ascent" while the Ja- beginning often connotes God, so the meaning might be "God's ascent." As an Arabic name, Aliyah means "lofty" or "exalted" while Ja- is a popular prefix used in the African American community, so Jaliyah might be a twist on a more popular choice, or a way to honor an Aliyah.

A popular choice right now in Japan, where it recently ranked in the Top 10.

Charming French endearment, first used as a name by Goethe, that now makes an appealing choice -- though the proper feminine form is Mignonne. Note, though, that this is not actually used as a name in France, where Manon would be the closest choice.

Many Americans will misunderstand it as Maya, but Maayan (also stylized as Ma'ayan) is a popular Israeli name used for both sexes.

The personified spirit of death mists, the clouding of the eyes preceding death —Achlys also may have been a goddess of deadly poisons.

Too-cute nickname name that is occasionally heard in aristocratic circles in England, usually bearing no obvious relation to the official name. There are characters named Topsy and Bopsy in the video game Lovecraft Country.

Androgynous nickname for Veronica, Rhonda or Rona.

Lilit in the Top 20 girls names is Armenia. Outside of Armenia, Lilit might be confused with Lilith, but is worth considering as a name in its own right.

The spiritual sounding Kiva has a number of other-worldly associations. Kiva is a "Stargate" character who becomes a commander in the Lucian Alliance, as well as a planet in "Star Wars." Kiva is also the name of a room used by the Hopi for spiritual ceremonies.

Originally a Dutch surname, imported by the early Dutch colonists, has been all but overpowered by the phonetic spellings in the US -- Skyler for boys and Skylar for girls. With the surnames-as-first-names trend, however, and the popularity of the Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, which features the Schuyler sisters, perhaps Schuyler might receive some more interest in the coming years.

An energetic, charmingly retro nickname, Suzy and all her sisters are off their fashion peak but will rise again around the middle of this century.

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.

The kind of French name that seemed daring -- and darling -- in the sixties.

Technically the vocative case of Màiri (the Scottish Gaelic form of Mary), Mhairi/Mhàiri has nevertheless become established as a given name in its own right. Although some bearers choose to anglicize the pronunciation, the "Mh" in Scottish Gaelic is correctly pronounced with a "V" sound.

A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era.

This Bailey variation is the second most popular spelling for girls, and while the -ee ending does make it more feminine, it feels more substantial in the original form. Bailee and Bayley are two other, less common alternatives.