Names ending in a

Part of the Mackenzie/Mackena/Mackenna family, this variation has a positive meaning.

Athalia was an Old Testament daughter of Jezebel and a king's powerful wife with a gory history. You don't wanna know -- and you probably don't wanna name your kid after her either. Pretty name, though, and one that's in step with the current fashions for A beginnings and endings as well as for distinctive names with deep roots. Atalia is a simplified spelling..

Known in America via the wife of Soviet head Mikhail Gorbachev; a possibility for parents of Eastern-European descent wanting to move beyond Natasha and Nadia or for parents from the Middle East looking for a name that works in both cultures.

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

Ebba, the feminine version of Eberhard and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of Emma, Ella, Ada, and similar simple-yet-traditional names, Ebba may enjoy more widespread popularity.

This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English Fenella. In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for 900 years.

A bright-sounding name with multicultural appeal, used regularly as a first name in Japan, Scandinavia, Latvia, and Spain.

We are hearing more of such heavenly names as Celeste and Celia, which opens the door to the range of lovely variations rarely heard before. Celestina is one of them, though given the more accessible options, it may be gilding the lily.

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 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".

Short and slight, with great potential now that names like Ava, Ida and Orla are popular. Ora Beach is a tourist destination on Seram Island, Indonesia.

Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans.

The original form of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, whose name is now a worldwide sensation. Freya is the most common variant, although Freja is preferred in Denmark and Sweden. Iceland still uses Freyja, the Old Norse spelling.

This elaboration of the Arabic amīn, meaning "trustworthy" or "to feel safe" was a fast riser in 2022, but has yet to crack the Top 1000. Latvian musical artist Aminata Savadogo's 2021 song "It's Written in the Heavens (Milky Way)" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2022 Latvian Music Recording Awards, potentially bringing the name into the spotlight.

Variant of Ayra

Aviana is a name that's kinda like the megapopular Ava, and kinda like the popular Ariana, and not quite as widely appealing as either of them. But it's on everyone's scope now as the choice of actress Amy Adams for her new daughter -- ironic as she was quoted as saying she wanted a "normal" name. Turns out that Adams was born in Aviano, Italy, explaining the mystery. The first syllable of the name can be pronounced ah, ay, or (most commonly) to rhyme with have.

Nice, energetic -- dare we say dashing. -- quality.

Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate Chopin's The Storm.

A Beretta is a gun, so named because of the Italian firearms manufacturer that makes it. And now Beretta is also a badass baby name, used in the middle for daughter Breeze by Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston. What a Tripp.

A multicultural choice with an appealing sound. In Arabic, it means "women" and is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa).