Names ending in a

According to Buddhist eschatology, Maitreya is next great Buddha who will appear on Earth, following Gautama Buddha. Though this messianic figure is usually (if not exclusively) depicted as a male, the name sounds distinctly feminine to Western ears. It's quite a heavy mantle to lay on a child, though with far less subtle names, such as Messiah, Royalty and Savior, on the rise, that may be waning as a cause for concern.

A stunning Judeo-Italian name that would cross well into other cultures —the built-in nickname Vera is a plus as well.

This version of the name creates an almost-homonym to Isora, but it adds in the trendy z. The possible nicknames of Ezzy and Zora give this name a little more wearability.

Has a truncated nickname feel.

Homophonous with Masha, the Russian nickname for Maria.

This unisex Japanese name has dozens of possible meanings, depending on the kanji characters used.

A top choice in Turkey, perfect for a botany-enthusiast.

The alternate spelling of Gera that led to Jerca, which currently ranks in the Slovene Top 100.

In Akamba culture, children were historically given names with animal meanings if their mother's first pregnancy was a stillbirth. It was thought that these names promoted survival and kept the bad omens away from the child. Additionally, this saved the "good" names — typically those of grandparents — for later-born children, who were considered more likely to survive.