Dog Names That Start With A

Abbreviated form of Harley that might also be spelled, for girls, Arleigh or Arlee.

Simpler and less tied to the singer in this form, Aliya is a feminine form of the Arabic name Ali, meaning "lofty, sublime, high" or "exalted." Boosted to fame by the ill-fated singer, Aaliyah, and used across the Middle East, the US and the UK, Aliya is a powerful and pretty choice with a concise spelling.

The extra n makes it feel less like an feminization of Alan and more like a name unto itself. Alanna is more common in Puerto Rico than the original Alana.

French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne has put the spotlight on her name.

A character name from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Azula is one of the two main antagonists of the series: a Firebender who produces blue flames (hence her name, which is derived from Spanish, Portuguese and Galician azul, meaning "blue").

In Hinduism, the god Aruna is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. Aruna is both the traditional masculine form of the name (modernized as Arun) and its feminization.

Aro is a cute name from Scandinavia which, given the popularity of similar names like Milo, Arlo etc might be ripe for more usage outside of the Nordic countries.

This is one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah, deemed by Muhammad to be a recommended name for a male child. In this country, it's been primarily associated with boxing immortal Muhammad Ali, known as "the greatest." But Ali is also one of the most popular unisex names for both boys and girls.

This name of a minor character in the Old Testament, also spelled Atara, has a softly pleasing sound. In the Old Testament, Atarah was a descendant of Judah.

Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver.

Arbor is an original unisex tree-related choice we're sure to hear more of. Highly unusual now, Arbor takes its place alongside other new arborial names ranging from the mighty Oak (or Oakley) to the more delicate Birch to the more flowery Juniper, Acacia, and Hazel.

This lovely name from Spenser's The Faerie Queene is borne by a character who represents married love. A related unusual-yet-usable choice: Amabel.

In ancient myth, Ashur was the supreme deity of the Assyrian Empire, the ruler of the gods, the god of war, and the creator of all things.

Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.

Truly original yet not strange name ripe for the plucking by the adventurous baby namer. Aurelius works too.

Ariyah jumped into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013, probably because some American parents see it as a creative spelling of the popular Aria or Arya. But it's also an authentic Hebrew name in its own right, a feminine form of the Biblical Aryeh, heard in modern Israel..

A Top 100 name among boys, but a rare option for a girl. The French female form is Axelle (emphasis on the "elle").

As all good Anne of Green Gables buffs would know, Avonlea is the fictional Canadian town created by L. M. Montgomery that Anne Shirley considers home. The literary creation inspired a real Canadian town to adopt the name. Avonlea would make a lovely literary choice for any baby, and would fit in with the Ava and "-lee" naming trends right now.

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

Popular in India and among Indo-Americans, this name of the hero of a famous Hindu epic has an extremely pleasing sound.