Two Syllable Boy Names

A fashionable name, thanks to prominent Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori, but non-Japanese might hear it as MORRIE or MAURY.

Jolly Holly has always been among the favorite names for Christmas babies, evoking the symbolic shrub with dark green leaves and bright red berries. And Holly is the flower for the month of December, so it's also among the perfect names for December babies. Holly is scarcely heard on baby boys, but Robin Tunney and Nicky Marmet used it as the middle name for their son Oscar.

Most famous as one of the many middle names of Professor Dumbledore from Harry Potter, Wulfric is an earlier form of the medieval English name Ulric. It has also belonged to an 11th- century Earl of Mercia and a 12th-century saint.

Inextricably tied to the former president, Reagan is a handsome surname name with a cool, current sound. Gender-neutral nickname Ray/Rae is also very on-trend right now.

A scientific word name that would work wonderfully as a given name, given its similarity to Felix.

This Scottish form of Thomas has a lot of charm, evoking images of men in plaid kilts playing the bagpipes. As for the 'ish' ending, it could either be seen as cozy and hamish, or a little wishy-washyish.

It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet.

Jaziel or Jahziel is an old Biblical name -- he was the son of Nephtali and a grandson of Jacob and Leah -- that is reemerging along with many of his obscure brethren. While it's used in the US for both sexes, it's predominant for boys. The South African band The Jaziel Brothers may have pushed it toward prominence.

A sweet, simple name with roots in several cultures. In Lithuanian, Aras is a poetic bird name, while in Persian and Kurdish it is both a word ("equal"), and the name of a river that flows through Turkey, Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan. It is one of the most popular boy names in Turkey, and also ranks in the Netherlands and England and Wales.

Arran Island (not to be confused with the Aran Islands in Ireland) is a large island in Scotland's Firth (or bay) of Clyde. Attractive name, long popular in Scotland, but elsewhere would be forever be mixed up with Aaron.

A diminutive of Daniel that's been immortalized in odes ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Danny's Song.'

Kuba is the attractive short form of Jakub, the spelling of Jacob commonly used in Poland. Much more distinctive than Jake!

A variation of Corey, this spelling has also been on a steady decline since the early-1990s. Its days are likely numbered on the US popularity charts altogether.

The ancient name Horace sounds fustily fuddy-duddy, and yet, with the resurrection of Homer, and the new interest in old Roman names...who knows.

Florin is one of the legion of names derived from the root word for flower, most of them like Flora and Florence used for girls. But the boys' form Florin is among the popular French names for boys, along with sister name Fleur for girls. There was a ninth century Swiss St. Florin. The related Florian was the name of a second century Roman saint.

Michael was the Number 1 boys' name for 50 years, so today parents are choosing or inventing modern variations to take its place.

Kai is one of the hottest names out there in recent years, climbing quickly into the Top 100. This combined with a surge of Japanese names gaining popularity in the US, like Kenji, Raiden, and Kenzo, and you've got a hit. Kaizen is of Japanese origin meaning "good change" — a term used for the Japanese business practice of continuous improvement in performance. It entered the US charts for the first time in 2022, and was among the fastest-rising names in 2023 as well.

Thayer is an affable, less-common alternative to Taylor, with a much more indirect connection to its occupational source. Actor Thayer David (born David Thayer: Thayer was his father's first name) was known for his roles in Rocky and Dark Shadows.

A familiar name in the Nordic countries that hasn't yet gained popularity in the English speaking world. But it could, now that Old Norse names like Thor and Odin are on the rise. It derives from Torbjörrn, which seems less likely to translate outside Scandinavia. But if you're looking for Danish names for a baby boy, Torben could be a choice that's both accessible and unusual.

Yannick originated as a diminutive of Yann, the Breton form of John. However, it has since become popular as a standalone name in its native region of Brittany, as well as in France as a whole, where it peaked at #31 in 1973-4. It remains well within the Top 500 in France to this day, and has also seen regular use in Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Quebec.