CHIckenstr1ps.'s list "Names that are Two Syllables" of 14 great name ideas: Samwell - Tamsin!

Names that are Two Syllables

These are some names I like or at least don’t dislike with two syllables. It’s important to note that I am American, so some names may be two syllables for me that would be three for a European, etc. Trust that in my accent, these names have two syllables.

George R.R. Martin named lovable Game of Thrones character Samwell Tarly, Jon Snow's closest friend in the Night's Watch, after Samwise Gamgee, Frodo's companion in The Lord of the Rings. Both characters are earthy, kind and rotund. We think Samwell could be a perfectly good full name for fantasy-loving parents trying to get to Sam. The analogy with Maxwell makes it legible even to people who can't tell their Wights from their White Walkers.

Samwell

A dashing French surname name most famously borne by Henry David Thoreau, an American naturalist, writer and philosopher who influenced such notable figures as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. The most common modern American pronunciation is "thor-OH", with emphasis on the final syllable, although Thoreau himself pronounced it "THOR-oh".

 The origins of the surname are not entirely clear, although one possibility is that it derives from a diminutive form of the Old French tor, meaning "bull" (the root of the modern French word taureau). A fitting choice for a Taurus baby boy!

 Thoreau may also be related to the Norse name Thor "thunder", or to the Germanic name Theodoric and its French form Thierry "ruler of the people".

 With its on-trend sound and literary pedigree, Thoreau certainly makes for a rare but appealing choice. Zac and Kate Hanson used it as a middle name for their fifth child, born in 2021.

Thoreau

A traditional, consistently common name in Iceland, where it is cognates with Stephen.

Stefán

Miłosz

Very popular in Wales, this perfectly nice name's only problem is its similarity to the dated Beth Ann. But if you're looking to honor an ancestral Elizabeth with a distinctive rare choice, Bethan might be on your short list.

Bethan

This is an attractive Celtic mythological name, popular in Wales and a cousin of the better known Bronwyn. In Welsh mythology, Branwen was turned into a bird.

Branwen

Upper-crusty nickname occasionally used in Britain, particularly in 1930s novels featuring significant garden party scenes, but eclipsed here by Carrie et al. 

Caro

French Canadian singer Dion made us notice this variation, but most parents would prefer the Selene spelling. 

Céline

Gentle yet tough, rare and intriguing, Fritha is an Anglicized variation as well as a Manx form of the Old Norse Fríða. Ultimately derived from the element fríðr meaning "fair, beautiful", it is similar but not the same as the Germanic Frida which means "peace".

Fritha

Ino was one of the Queens of Thebes who, after her death, became an immortal. Ino raised her nephew, Dionysus (son of Semele and Zeus), provoking the wrath of Hera. In desperation Ino threw herself into the sea and was thereafter venerated as Leucothea (The White Goddess).
 In Japanese, Ino means wild boar. Ino is most familiar in a Japanese context from Ino Yamanaka, a character in the Naruto anime.
 Despite being short and sweet, and bearing the fashionable "O" ending, Ino is one of the rarer Greek mythology names.

Leto is the titaness of motherhood (there's a title!) and, with Zeus, mother of the twin Olympians Artemis and Apollo. Simple, sleek, and unique, Leto is one mythological name for girls we might expect to hear a lot more of.

Leto

Nasrin has a strong sound and lovely floral meaning. International variants include the Turkish Nesrin and Egyptian Nesreen.

Nasrin

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as familiar as Bronwen and Rhiannon.

Rhoswen

Tamsin is an offbeat name occasionally heard in Britain and just waiting to be discovered here. U.K. actress Tamsin Greig is a star of the show Episodes, Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Joan Plowright and Sir Laurence Olivier..
 Tamsyn is the alternative medieval Cornish spelling. Other spellings are represented by actresses Tamzin Outhwaite and Tamzin Merchant, and by writer Tamasin Day-Lewis, sister of Daniel.
 Tamsin is a 1999 fantasy novel by Peter Beagle.