Names ending in a

Cross between a color name and a La-plus invention.

Pronounced mah-zah, Maaza means a pleasant scent, usually from a yellow daisy popular in Ethiopia. Hot young Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste introduced the name to our shores.

Quora is the name of a popular question and answer website founded by former Facebook employees. It's sometimes used for baby girls as a creative spelling of Cora.

New name in the pool of international names, added by lovely supermodel Alyona Osmanova.

This spelling makes Julia worldly and distinctive.

An uncommon elaboration on the popular Noa sound, this Hawaiian name was traditionally given as a third name where the first two names were honor names.

A light and lovely Russian diminutive of Yelena (Helena), now used in its own right in Russia. Also spelt Alyona.

Marciana is a cooler (much cooler) elaboration of Marcia.

Andrina is best-known as an older sister of The Little Mermaid.

A beautiful and evocative Greek mythology name which was also borne by a 4th century saint. A unique alternative to Theodora.

Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.

What Juliana looks like in Romania and some surrounding countries; it's also found in a completely different culture: Hawaiian.

Adelaida takes the popular Adelaide one step -- or at least one syllable -- further. More than 1100 baby girls were named Adeliade in the US last year, while fewer than 100 were named Adelaida.

A possible variation of Amia and Amaya. It has charted in the U.S. Top 1000 for most of the 21st century.

Although Ashala is steadily yet quietly used as a name in its own right, it seems to be an invention derived from either Asha, a Sanskrit word and name meaning "hope" and also sometimes a variant of the Arabic Aisha, or the 1990s megapopular Ashley, an English name meaning "dweller near the ash tree mountain." Ashala has a rhythmic, euphonic sound but not much authentic heft. There was a minor character in Star Wars named Ashala.