Two Syllable Boy Names

A jolly, bawdy image that recalls the hero of the eighteenth-century novel Tristram Shandy; also a drink in British pubs.

A long shot, but it could join the crop of dashing Irish surname names.

Arieh is a form of a Biblical name that can also be spelled Aryeh or Arye. There's also a feminine form, Ariyah. There were 100 boys in the US named Aryeh last year, with a handful given the other two spellings. But Ariyah was by far the most popular, given to nearly 500 girls.

Elmir can either be an alternative form of the Old English Elmer, tying it to nobility and fame, or it is a popular Azerbaijani choice that blends the Turkic element el with the Arabic amir to form a name with a commanding meaning but gentle sound.

Latin variant of Greek Sophos, coming from the same root as the Sophia family of names.

A famous bearer of this name is RJ Rosales, a Filipino-Australian musician.

This name, used in both India and Nepal, is one of those lovely boys names that opts for quiet strength over hypermasculine energy. Bollywood cinematographer Nirav Shah is a notable bearer of this name.

Jacob meets Jakob meets Kobe -- and apparently, parents in 2013 are fans. It rose 153 spots to break into the Top 1000, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names.

Tormund Giantsbane is an appealing Game of Thrones character with an enthusiastic fanbase: he's a Wildling from north of the Wall with a fiery red beard and a salty tongue. While "Tor-" names have never been as popular for boys as for girls, several are in regular use -- and we could imagine Tormund joining their ranks.