Names ending in a

Is it pronounced MEE-ah or MY-ah? Only the bearer knows for sure, which is one of the central problems with this hybrid name.

An unusual, haunting name, a distant cousin to the more popular Amber and Ember.

In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon.

Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.

The invented Daleyza was the fastest-rising girls' name in the US in 2013, thanks to the adorable young daughter of Larry Hernandez, star of Larrymania. If you've been out of the world of baby names for a while, you may be surprised to learn that Daleyza is now one of the most popular girl names starting with D.

Pronounced as-TAIR-ah, this is one of many frequently heard Israeli flower names. Other floral choices popular in Israel include Dafna, which means laurel; Dailia; Irit, which means daffodil; and Vered, which means rose.

Spelled Alastríona in its native language, this Irish cousin of Alexandra is little-known but fairly intuitive.

Western place-name that feels equally appropriate for both genders. Note: Natives say rhyme that second syllable with had, so it's not nehv-AH-da.

Feminine of Aidan, but now girls would prefer to use the original.

The name of the mother of Aethelred the Unready was once common among the Anglo-Saxon nobility, and was briefly revived during the 19th century, only to be lost once again to history.

Rare but attractive female form of Basil.

Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light" name, in the style of Aria: short, elegant, and usable across different cultures.

Federica is the Latin version of Frederica, one of those formerly stuffy female names -- think Josephine and Eleanor -- that feels fresh and elegant again. And Federica has more energy without that first r.

The Spanish version, with its -eena ending, takes the name out of the Oh My Darlin' realm, which for many American parents may be just the thing.

The feminine form of Orpheus, the charming musician of Greek myth who descended to the underworld.

Russian diminutive of Alexei, borne by the protagonist in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Alyosha, like most other Russian diminutive forms, is not generally given as a standalone name in Russia itself.

This name is the feminine of Chrystanthos, meaning golden flower (think Chrysanthemum).

This fanciful Irish extension of Bridget is known here through the wacky Amelia Bedelia books for kids -- an association your child may or may not like.