Names ending in a

A softer, more feminine variation of Abijah.

Wildly optimistic -- and unrealistic -- choice.

Kimana, the name of a resort in the foothills of Mountain Kilimanjaro in Kenya, would make an unexpected path to the nickname Kim.

The Early Americans invented names too, sometimes variations of classical or biblical favorites. This one appears in Colonial rosters; the Aur beginning is Latin and means "gold."

The adorable animal name made its way into the baby name pool when Macklemore used it as the middle name for his daughter Colette in 2018.

Isala has a mellifluous sound, and ties in nicely with more familiar names like Isolde and Isla.

Deriving from either Abena, which is the traditional name for Tuesday-born daughters, or as a variation of Aba, meaning "born on Thursday", Abba is a name of African origin with a concise but energetic sound. Not to be confused with the Swedish pop group or the Semitic name or title meaning "Father", Abba appeared in the US charts for girls for the first time in nearly a century in 2023.