Names ending in a

This Latin name, also spelled Alida, has come into focus via the interesting character of Aleida Diaz on Orange is the New Black, the mother of Dayanara. In real life, Che Gueverra named a daughter Aleida.

Although it looks and sounds like the Spanish name Paloma, meaning "dove," Poloma has Native American origins from the Choctaw tribe.

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon.

Brona is an Anglicized form of Bronach or Bronagh, the name of a sixth century mystic and follower of Saint Patrick. The name is attracting some modern notice in the US via the character Brona Croft in TV's Penny Dreadful.

Deriving from the Sanskrit Mithra, Mitra is the Hindu god of the sun and of friendship. This transcription is unisex in Hindi, while in Persian, it is the feminine form.

Foreign variations of Mary are definitely the way to go; this one has a nice Dutch-girl feel. It also works as a cultural crossover name, e.g. between European languages and Japanese.

Italianate variation of Cosette, from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.

An alternative spelling of Gia, or of Gaea, which is a form of Gaia – the Earth goddess in Greek mythology.

This was a popular name in early Ireland, borne by both saints and kings. In Celtic mythology, Fiacra was the name of one of the three children of the sea god Lir, who was changed into a swan by his stepmother Aoife. Saint Fiachra of Meaux, a 7th century Irish hermit who settled in France, is a patron saint of travelers and of gardeners because of his skill in growing vegetables in his garden. The name is still well used in Ireland; Fiacre is the French spelling, Feary is an Anglicized form.

Trivia tidbit: Hotel Saint-Fiacre in Paris was named after him, and taxis operating outside it came to be called fiacres, a name later given to cabs in general.

Netta ranked in the US Top 1000 in the 1880s, when it was often used as a short form of names such as Jeanette, Annette, and Antoinette. In Jewish families, Netta was typically seen as a variation of the Hebrew name Neta.

The Italian form of Hilda is rarer but sweeter than its mother name, which still isn't ready for revival in the US.

Dulcibella is an old name that's fallen into disuse but may rise again with the new wave of fashionable names that end in -bel, -belle, and -bella. Behind the Name says that the medieval form of the name was the Dowsabel, which we definitely do not see making a comeback. But Dulcibel or Dulcibelle could work.

Hydra is the largest of the 88 constellations, whose name was inspired by Hydra of Lerna, a serpentine, multi-headed monster of Greek mythology who resided in Lake Lerna.

In Pierre Benoit's novel, Antinea is a beautiful and charming queen with a hideous secret: She has a cave wall with 120 niches carved into it, one for each of her lovers. Only 53 have been filled; when all 120 have been filled, Antinea will sit atop a throne in the centre of the cave and rest forever.

The name of the resort city on Spain's Costa del Sol is pronounced mar-BAY-a, setting it apart from the bella-name competition -- though many English speakers won't realize that.

This lovely compound name blends two of the most stylish girl names of the moment. The result has a pretty and sophisticated sound, reminiscent of stylish rarities like Evelina.

Arshiya, also spelled Arshia, is a name used for girls and sometimes boys mainly in Iran and among Indo-Persians. seven girls given the Arshiya spelling of the name in the US last year, with another nine girls and five boys named Arshia.