One Syllable Names for Girls

A short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone.

Babs is an old-fashioned nickname for Barbara, itself an old-fashioned name that was hugely popular in the 20th century but that's not (yet) on its way back in. If you really want a vintage-y nickname name with a lot of attitude that bucks the current friends, go for Babs instead of Betty or Bea.

A short form of Elisabeth, similar in sound to the 60s favorite Lisa.

Unlike Sam or even Max, Gus -- short for Augusta or Gusta -- feels a bit too butch to work for a girl.

Cyan is an attractive color names, but for a girl, better go all the way to Cyane, the name of a Sicilian nymph who lived in a blue pool.

An alternative spelling of Gia, or of Gaea, which is a form of Gaia – the Earth goddess in Greek mythology.

The soignée French member of this family of names.

We're hearing Kat more and more being used by Katherines who are tired of Kathy, Kate and Katie. Katti or Kattie is another possibility.

This big cat name is especially striking with its X ending.

A form of Heinrich or Henrike (Henry in English), as well as of their feminine counterparts. Now most commonly feminine, and especially popular for girls in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s. Famous bearers include German actress Heike Makatsch and athlete Heike Drechsler.

Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.

This fabric word name would be a one-of-a-kind.

These days, it's more likely you'd call your daughter the popular Belle or Bella.

Bente, pronounced ben-tah, is a popular girls' name in both The Netherlands and Denmark though largely unknown in the English-speaking world. It suffers by being a near-homonym of the English word bent, not the best dictionary equivalent for a first name. Still, if you're looking for a girls' name that equates to Ben or Benjamin or Benedict, this may be one of your best bets.

Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.

In Greek mythology, the Keres were female death spirits; goddesses who personified violent deaths and were drawn to bloody deaths on battlefields.