Names ending in a
- Marianna
Origin:
Italian, Polish, EnglishMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"Description:
While Marianna looks like a spelling variation of Mariana, the two names have different etymologies. While the one-N spelling derives from the Roman name Marianus, Marianna is a combination of two classics, Maria and Anna, used in many European languages.
- Aphra
Origin:
Hebrew, variation of AphrahMeaning:
"dust"Description:
Aphra would make an interesting choice-- especially since it's the name of the first professional female writer in English, the seventeenth century's Aphra Behn. Born in 1640, she was a prolific dramatist of the English Restoration, and a spy.
- Alaska
Origin:
Native AmericanMeaning:
"great land"Description:
State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place names are annexed as baby names. Wilder but as habitable as Dakota or Cheyenne, Alaska is a girls' name choice for the future.
- Avira
Origin:
TamilMeaning:
"bright"Description:
A rare girls' name with cross-cultural appeal to burn, Avira might be a good option for parents interested in Ava but put off by its huge popularity.
- Marisa
Origin:
Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and LouisaMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"Description:
A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds at once unusual and familiar, which makes it truly an international choice.
- Asa
Origin:
Hebrew, Japanese, or ScandinavianMeaning:
"healer; morning; of the gods"Description:
A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa, it's a popular diminutive form of Old Norse names beginning with the element áss "god".
- Daniella
Origin:
Italian, Polish, Czech, feminine variation of DanielDescription:
Daniella, Daniela, and Danielle were among the hottest names for twenty years, but now, though still popular, they can no longer be considered stylish options, lagging behind the newer Ella, Stella, Bella, Gabriella, and Isabella.
- Clea
Origin:
Literary nameDescription:
An attractive and unusual name that may be a variation of Cleo, Clea was possibly invented by Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet.
- Adina
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"slender, delicate"Description:
Name of an Old Testament soldier that's been also used as a girls' name in modern Israel. An alternate spelling is Adinah. Some mistake Adina and Adinah to be the root of Dinah, but the Biblical name Dinah is borne by a different figure and has a different meaning. You can consider the modern short forms Dena and Dina as stemming from either Adina or Dinah.
- Amarantha
Origin:
Flower name; GreekMeaning:
"unfading"Description:
Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal. The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.
- Naira
Origin:
AymaraMeaning:
"beauty of Saraswati"Description:
Naira has several possible origins. It could be an alternative spelling of the Indian name Nyra, or from nayra, meaning "early" or "eye" in the Aymara language of South America. It can also be short for names like Aneria and Zunairah — or an invention by parents looking for a fresh twist on Nora and Lyra. In any case, it's a breezy, modern-sounding name with lots of potential.
- Roberta
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bright fame"Description:
Roberta has been one of the most successful feminization names, up at #64 in 1936. It's a name that's found all over children's lit, often nicknamed Bobbie or Robbie, though Bertie is another possibility. Notable bearers have included singers Roberta Flack and Roberta Peters--plus it's the birth name of Joni Mitchell.
- Aranza
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"Among the thorns"Description:
The name of a popular Mexican singer and a telenovela character, Aranza incredibly rose out of obscurity to become Number 607 in the US in 2014.
- Michaela
Origin:
Feminine variation of MichaelMeaning:
"who is like God"Description:
This most proper form of the name shot up the charts in the nineties, only to sink just as precipitously, supplanted by upstarts Makayla and McKayla ad infinitum.
- Darla
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"darling"Description:
Dimpled Our Gang comedy name.
- Julianna
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"youthful or sky father"Description:
Together with Julian, the name Juliana/Julianna derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
- Meera
Origin:
; SanskritMeaning:
"prosperous"Description:
Meera Bai, also spelled Mirabai, was a great female Hindu mystical poet whose works are popular throughout India. She was a fifteenth-sixteenth century Indian princess who devoted her life to writing paeans of devotion to the god Krishna.The story of Meera was the basis of an eponymous Indian historical drama television series in 2009. It's also gotten a boost from HBO's Game of Thrones, in which Meera Reed is a tough, wise character who cares for the disabled seer Bran Stark once he flees Winterfell.
- Milla
Origin:
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, HungarianMeaning:
"young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"Description:
Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel.
- Mattea
Origin:
Italian, from HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
This pretty, international feminization of Matthew was chosen by Mira Sorvino for her daughter, Mattea Angel. As the Spanish Mateo and the Italian Matteo become more popular for baby boys throughout Europe, the English-speaking world, and the Americas, Mattea is sure to get wider recognition. And as Theo and Thea have become fashionable names, Teo and Tea are rising too.
- Martina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"warlike"Description:
Tennis-related name popular throughout Europe that's never caught fire here.