Two Syllable Names for Girls
- Viviane
Origin:
French variation of Viviana or VivienDescription:
Viviane is one of a cluster of names that may or may not be related. They include the Latin Viviana, which means life, and its modern forms Vivian and the French form Vivienne. But Vivien, pronounced identically, may be a literary invention connected instead to Ninian. Some sources also connect the Viv variations to the Irish Bebinn, the name of the goddess of childbirth, or Bevin.
- Tauriel
Origin:
Fictional nameMeaning:
"daughter of the forest"Description:
Tauriel is the name of an elf in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, played by Evangeline Lilly. She is the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard, and a companion of Legolas. Her name was created from the Sindarin elements taur "forest" and riel "maiden’.
- Linnet
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"flaxen haired"Description:
Although the accent in Linnet is on the first syllable, it could be confused with the dated Lynette.
- Lucca
Origin:
Spelling variation of Luca; Italian place nameDescription:
This spelling is more unisex than either Luca or Luka, perhaps because it is also an Italian city name. However, it fell for both genders in 2021, as the Disney movie Luca sent that spelling skyrocketing.
- Arete
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"virtue"Description:
Arete is a minor goddess in Greek mythology who personifies the idea of excellence or perfect virtue. There is also a mythological queen Arete, with her sister an "exacter of justice".
- Alder
Origin:
English botanical nameMeaning:
"alder tree; old; red, brown"Description:
Deriving from an old English surname or from the alder tree, whose wood is used to make electric guitars, Alder can mean "old" if considered a variation on the Germanic alter or "red, brown" when you follow the root of the tree name.
- Liu
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"willow tree"Description:
Commonly associated with Chinese supermodel Liu Wen.
- Hendrix
Origin:
Dutch and German, from first name HendrikMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Hendrix is an improbably trendy first name rising in honor of guitar great Jimi.
- Berkley
Origin:
English variation of BerkeleyMeaning:
"where birches grow"Description:
Berkeley, with an extra E, is the more familiar variation of this name, associated with the California school. But it's the streamlined Berkley that has proven itself to be more popular as a baby name, at least in the US.
- Kayleigh
Origin:
Spelling variation of Kaylee and CayleeDescription:
The -leigh suffix seems to be losing its luster; several names in this category, including Kayleigh, Kyleigh and Ryleigh, peaked in popularity a few years back but have since lost quite a bit of ground.
- Kaleah
Origin:
Variation of Kalea, HawaiianMeaning:
"joy, happiness"Description:
More common than the original Hawaiian Kalea.
- Hermia
Origin:
Greek, female form of HermesMeaning:
"messenger"Description:
Though we've gotten used to Hermione via Harry Potter, and even Hermes with its godlike and fashion associations, most people would still have a problem with Hermia (too close to hernia?) and Herman.
- Daia
Origin:
Spelling variation of DayaDescription:
Daya, popularized in the US as the name of a character on Orange Is The New Black, the variation Daia has recently been chosen as a name by Dutch rapper Willie Wartaal for his daughter, born in March 2016.
- Tila
- Addy
Origin:
Diminutive of Adelaide or AdelineDescription:
This name has become increasingly popular, though usually with the Addie spelling. In fact, Addy/Addie has taken over for Maddie and Allie as one of the most frequently-heard short forms for a range of also-popular formal names, including Adeline, Adalynn, Adeliaide, and Addison. As Addy, it's the name of an American Girls doll.
- Arley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the rabbit meadow"Description:
Abbreviated form of Harley that might also be spelled, for girls, Arleigh or Arlee.
- Heaven
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Among the children named Heaven are the daughters of TV personality Brooke Burke and rap singer Lil' Mo, who also has a daughter named God'iss Love. Some parents have taken to using Nevaeh instead—Heaven spelled backwards.
- Dilly
Origin:
Diminutive of Dilys, Dilwen, and DaffodilDescription:
Somewhat light and silly on its own.
- Isle
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small island"Description:
Isla is a contemporary gem, so why not Isle? As an English word name, it takes you straight to the literal definition — a small island — which could have an appealing, aspirational ring to it, for those wanting to raise independent children.
- Issey
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"place and saint's name"Description:
It looks like an alternative spelling of Izzy/Issy (and may well have been used as such), but Issey is actually a Cornish place and saint's name.