Names ending in a

Nikita – a masculine Russian name deriving from the Greek name Niketas, meaning "victory" – has come a long way from portly post-Stalin Soviet leader Khrushchev to the female spy/assassin in the movie and TV series La Femme Nikita.

Together with Julian, the name Juliana/Julianna derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".

A pretty addition to the Au-girl names like Audrey, Aurora and Autumn. The beginning Aur syllable, which often relates to gold, makes this an appropriate and one of the more unusual names for autumn babies.

State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place names are annexed as baby names. Wilder but as habitable as Dakota or Cheyenne, Alaska is a girls' name choice for the future.

Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls.

A rare and delicate choice, Lelia is a modern variation of an ancient Roman family name. It came to Britain in the mid-nineteenth century, following the publication of George Sand's popular romantic novel titled Lelia in 1833.

Alea is a genuine girls' name as a sleeker variation of Aleah, a name with both Arabic and Persian roots that means exalted or God's being. But in Italian, Alea means risk or hazard, so it can also be considered an Italian word name...but a risky one.

Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.

A feminine name heard most often in the Hispanic community. Surprisingly, Lorena was on the US Top 1000 list of girls' names for an impressive 130 years, from 1880 until falling off in 2011. We do not predict an imminent return.

With diverse roots and meanings, Ayana is a cross-cultural possibility with Arabic, African, and Kazakh origin. Both Ayana and Ayanna enjoyed a spike of popularity in the 1990s, but have faded since then, though 246 girls were given the name in the US in a recent year, placing it just outside the Top 1000. It appeared in the Kazakhstani top 15 multiple times in the 2010s and recently ranked in the UK Top 500.

Name of an Old Testament soldier that's been also used as a girls' name in modern Israel. An alternate spelling is Adinah. Some mistake Adina and Adinah to be the root of Dinah, but the Biblical name Dinah is borne by a different figure and has a different meaning. You can consider the modern short forms Dena and Dina as stemming from either Adina or Dinah.

This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr, Catherine of Alexandria. Its later popularity increased following the success of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1893 Catriona, the sequel to Kidnapped.

Jia might be considered a spelling variation of Gia, an Italian feminine form of John as a shortening of Gianna or Giovanna. Jia might also be the anglicized form of many Chinese names, which have different meanings including home or family. If you're looking for girl names starting with J that sound unusual yet familiar, this might be one possibility, though many Americans will think it's spelled Gia.

Cataleya is the name of a genus of orchids that gained visibility as a baby name after it was used for the character played by Zoe Saldana in Colombiana. Part Caitlin, part Aaliyah, and part Leah, Cataleya is a trendy choice that just might transcend its momentary popularity. It is a spelling adaptation of Cattleya, named after the British horticulturalist William Cattley.

Aira is a light and airy name that is currently on the rise. Playful but concise, Aira made its debut in the England and Wales Top 1000 in 2022.

Acantha is one of the unique baby names in the stylish mythological category that also might count as a flower name. In Greek mythology, Acantha was a nymph beloved by Apollo. An unusual and attractive choice that could make a creative way to honor a grandma Rose.

This strong yet graceful feminine form of Gabriel is a modern favorite. The double L spelling is given to more than three times as many girls as the Gabriela version.

While Charlotte and Caroline are considered stylish and classic members of the Charles family, this Germanic form peaked in the US at Number 76 in 1965. It fell out of favor in the 2010s, but recent years have seen it re-enter the Top 1000.

This diminutive, similar to Alex or Alexis, has been yo-yoing in popularity since the turn of the 21st century.

A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — longtime Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.