Names ending in a

A Scandinavian short form of Johanna, properly pronounced with a Y sound at the start, but would likely be read as the more prosaic "John-a" in an English-speaking context.

Onika is the birth name of Trinidad and Togago-born celebrity Nicki Minaj.

The name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as appropriative.

We like all forms of this name—Annabel, Anabel, Annabelle, Anabela, and Annabella—so you decide how elaborate you want to get. Actress Sela Ward chose the Anabella spelling.

Adda is the name of the first man in the Welsh Bible, but it is rarely used in its homeland nowadays. Once you know how to pronounce it, it's a soft-sounding name that would make an interesting alternative to A-ending boy names like Ezra. Adda Fras was a 13th-century poet, and there is also a River Adda near Bangor in North Wales.

Both a biblical and an Israeli place-name, this can be used as an offbeat substitute for Deborah.

Lithe and leonine name chosen for her daughter by singer Erykah Badu, but fits in with wild nature names like Fox, Wolf and Bear for a boy.

Madelina is the Madeline equivalent used in many European cultures. While it's a simple and melodic name, like its mother name it can lead to lots of spelling and pronunciation problems. The first syllable may be "may" or rhyme with dad; last two syllables pronounce lee-na, though of course some will inevitably say lye-na. Only a handful of girls received this name in the US last year, making it a distinctive and pretty classic, but don't choose it ignoring its very real down side.

Delysia has twice been used as a stage name. The first time (in real life) by fin-de-siecle French actress Alice Delysia; the second time (in the movies) by the character played by Amy Adams in "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day". It is a soft, romantic name which is reminiscent of elyssium and Elissa.

A Roman forename, and later family name, used for both sexes in ancient times (but more commonly men).

Actress Gena Rowlands publicized this name, which she pronounces with a soft e.

A lovely variation of classic Margaret, worn by two Olympic medal winners — Marharyta Makhneva and Marharyta Dorozhon.