Two Syllable Boy Names

An Irish county name almost exclusively used for girls now. Kerrigan would be a more modern and masculine choice.

We all know K is a very trendy letter right now, but what was wrong with Corbin?

An eighties favorite back on the rise for girls. It's used for boys approximately fifteen percent of the time.

Authentically spelled İlkin, this would be an unusual (to English speakers) pick for a firstborn boy.

One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.

The Basque form of Julian is pared down and may appeal to parents looking for a less-syllabic option. It’s not typically used outside of Spain, but it would make an easy import.

Almond may seem like a hippy modern name, but its use for American boys goes right back to the mid-nineteenth century. In these cases, it was either a variation of Almund, meaning "noble strength," or the surname Aleman, meaning "German."

Shortening Francisco somehow makes it sound even cooler. Cisco is also the name of a digital security company.

This shortened variation of Aaron—it was Elvis's middle name—is now a widely used choice.

The surname of influential French fashion designer Marc Bohan could make a modern-sounding two-syllable boy's name, though it might be confused with Bowen.

Koji, also written as Kōji, is a common name among men in Japan. It is also featured as a character name in many anime series.

Common Arabic version of Elijah. The Ilyes spelling is a Top 100 name in France.

The Mennonites took their name from Menno Simons, a Dutch leader of the Anabaptists. His name, which is a nickname of Meine, is still used today in the American Mennonite community.

Ahmet is known outside its native land largely thanks to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The original crazy celebrity baby namer Frank Zappa named one of his sons Ahmet, after the influential music executive. Ahmad is a variation of Muhammad.

Commonly heard in Hungary and some Slavic countries, Tibor has a large measure of continental dash. The name derives from the Roman town of Tibur, now called Tivoli. It is a Top 100 pick for baby boys in its native Hungary.

With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been picked by one celebrity, and it certainly has a stronger historical and cultural identity -- and it could work as an alternative to Harvey or Harley.

Undiscovered Irish surname.