Names ending in a

Lenia is part Lena and part Leni, a full name that started life as a short form of most any name ending or beginning with a Len sound. While Lena was used for more than 1000 baby girls in the US last year and Leni was used for nearly 100, Lenia was given to fewer than five. But Lenia is one of the most popular baby girl names in Switzerland.

We all know that Chaka really means disco.

Allena may feel like a somewhat antiquated feminization, though Allen itself is a tad old-fashioned. In many ways, Allena -- pronounced ah-LEN-ah -- feels more appealing that Alana or ah-LAH-ah.

Variant of Maribella

One of the Six Snub-nosed Princesses created by L. Frank Baum for his Oz books. Could also be seen as a female version of the color name Cerulean.

Gay, nearly giddy, gee-whiz feel; also too reminscent of a gila monster.

An unusual but fairly straightforward name, with an appealing meaning conjuring up wild, graceful seabirds.

Soft and appealing, with a whiff of vanilla.

This spelling of Delilah is disproportionately common among the Amish.

The vowel ending tilts this sharply toward the feminine, and at this point Havana still has some political implications as well.

Petronela, along with Petronella and Petronelle, are relatives of Petra, sister of Peter. Old names, they are exceedingly rare. But they could be an original route to the cute nicknames Nell and Nellie.