Best One Syllable Girl Names

Viv

Viv is a feminine name that functions as both a standalone name and a diminutive of Vivian, Vivienne, or Viviana. These names derive from the Latin "vivus" meaning "alive" or "lively." Viv embodies…

Whit

English

"white"

Whit is an uplifting short form of any number of surname-y full names, for Whitney to Whitaker. But Whit stands perfectly well on its own and makes for a witty spin on modern virtue names .

Win

Diminutive of Winifred or Winslet

Win might be an upbeat short form for a girl named Winifred or the new-fangled Winslet, or can stand on its own. The Welsh name Wynn feels more complete and sounds the same.

Xan

Diminutive of Alexandra, Greek

"defending men"

Cool, gender-neutral short form of Alexandra and company.

Xen

Variation of Japanese Zen, form of Buddhism

Xen might also be a minimalist reduction of Alexandra.

Zan

Chinese

"support, comfort"

This name can be used for either girls or boys and is a great international choice.

Fliss

Diminutive of Felicity

"good fortune, happy"

Gentle yet sassy, Fliss is a short form of Felicity that has the spark of Flick, the softness of Lissy, and the cutesiness of Fifi.

Lib

Diminutive of Elizabeth or Liberty

"pledged to god; freedom"

A concise and zippy short form of Elizabeth, Liberty or similar, used for the main character in the novel and film adaptation of Emma Donoghue's The Wonder about a nurse sent to observe a girl who is…

Air

Word name

This nature name hasn't escaped the hippie dippy air of others like River or Sky.

Ai

Japanese

"love; indigo"

Ames

Latin

"friend"

Ames is that jewel of a name that's simple and familiar while at the same time being unusual and rare. With gender neutral surname names ending in S trending today -- think Brooks, Wells, Oakes --…

Ayn

English

"grace"

Ayn is a nonconformist name associated with controversial Russian-born writer and philosopher Ayn Rand, (born Alisa) author of The Fountainhead , who adopted it when she moved to the US in 1926.

Barb

English diminutive of Barbara, Greek

"foreign woman"

Barb is a midcentury nickname name that, like Deb and Sue, feels terminally dates now. But with the revival of Barbie, Barb may not be far behind.

Bird

Nature name

We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.

Brenn

Brenn is a feminine name of Celtic origin, derived from Welsh and Gaelic roots. It's related to names like Brenda or Brennan and carries meanings associated with 'raven' or 'princess.' The name…

Britt

Swedish, contracted form of Birgit

"high goddess"

Brisk but rather brittle. Britt Eklund was a Bond Girl in the 1974 The Man with the Golden Gun . Britt is a contracted form of Birgit, but be aware that it does come with the strong possibility of…

Cait

Short form of Caitlin

"pure"

Cait, pronounced like more popular sister Kate, is the form used when shortening Caitlin or any of the other Irish and Gaelic Cait-starting variations of Catherine.

Cass

English diminutive of Cassandra or Cassia, Greek

"shining or excelling man; cinnamon"

Ties to the unfortunate Mama are now unraveling, leaving Cass or Cassie to stand on its own as a fresher sounding Cathy or Kate. With gender-neutral names abound and the growing trend of boyish…

Cat

Diminutive of Catherine, Greek

"pure"

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge. Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

Ceil

Short form of Cecilia or Celia

"blind or heavenly"

With the growing popularity of Celia and Cecilia, this vintage canasta-playing nickname name could be due for a comeback. Ceil had a few years of recorded popularity in the first decade of the…