Names ending in a

Brisa is commonly used in Latino families, all but unheard of in others.

As a masculine name, Madara has roots in Japanese. It's not used as a given name, rather it was chosen for the character Madara Uchiha in the Naruto series.

Gwen Stefani put this possibility on the map for boys when she and Gavin Rossdale welcomed Zuma Nesta Rock in 2008.

Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New Artist Grammy from favorite Justin Bieber. It's also the name of the main character in the novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, about a young Latina growing up in Chicago.

Indiana is one of those place-names (think Camden and Trenton) that sounds cooler than the place that inspired it. Its fashionable -ana ending certainly sounds eminently name-like, and Indie/Indy/Indi is one of the hottest nickname names for girls right now.

The Russian version of Katherine is usually Ekaterina, but this Slovak form is used throughout Eastern Europe and may be more friendly to the American ear.

Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.

In the eighteenth century there was a poetic fad for names with the 'inda' sound, and, along with Belinda, Clarinda, Dorinda and Florinda, Melinda was one of those created at that time. It came into non-literary use in the 1840's, peaking in the U.S. in the late 1960s and 1970s: Melinda was a Top 100 name from 1967 to 1980. It began to fade as nickname Mindy ascended. Nowadays, however, Melinda feels more contemporary than cousins Melissa, Mindy, Belinda and Linda.

Mica is not the same name -- though it sounds the same -- as Micah, but the h makes it feel more masculine.

A highly unusual name in the U.S., Assumpta refers to the Assumption of Mary, the ascent of the Virgin Mary into Heaven before her death in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox doctrine. An intriguing and pious choice for a devout Catholic family — though watch out for those first three letters.

Ravenna is a lovely, untouristed Italian place-name just waiting to be discovered. Renowned for its fantastic Byzantine mosaics, it's a city that has a rich historic and artistic heritage.

A simple name occasionally heard a couple of generations back.

Fauna is the Roman goddess of the earth as well as one of the fairies who protected Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".

Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is especially promising, with its cross-cultural appeal. Ayla, a common name in Turkey, is also worth considering.

Kuba is the attractive short form of Jakub, the spelling of Jacob commonly used in Poland. Much more distinctive than Jake!

In the slipstream of Luna, this everywhere-and-nowhere international name, with its attractive liquid sound, is popular in several European countries along with Hawaii.

This biblical name of the mother of King Jotham of Judah has an appealing soft Russian accent.

Gaara is a character in the Naruto universe given a one-of-a-kind name. The first two elements in his name mean "I love," while the final kanji is related to the Buddhist asuras, or demigods. The meaning of Gaara can be read as "demigod who loves himself" and "demigod who I [Gaara's mother] love." Both interpretations align with the character.

A warm-sounding Arabic name with a gentle meaning, mentioned frequently in the Quran.

Eloisa captures a lovely name back from the spoiled little girl at the Plaza. Historical romance writer Eloisa James has helped make this antique name sound fresh and sassy again.