Names ending in a

Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.

More than Lily yet less than Lillian, Lillia is a fresh and undeniably pretty member of the stylish genus of double (or in this case triple) l names. You can also spell it Lilia.

Edina is an infectious-sounding Minnesota place-name, featured in the British cult hit TV show "Absolutely Fabulous." Edina is also a poetic name for Edinburgh and is a common name in contemporary Hungary. Though some sources list its origins as Hungarian, more peg it as a variation of Edwina, the feminine form of Edwin, an English name.

On "Sex and the City," Magda was the elderly nanny from the old country -- which is what this name sounds like. While Magdalene and Magdalena are enjoying fresh life, Magda still feels dated.

The meaning of this rare Irish name is not fully known. It may mean "man of god", or else derive from an element meaning "smoke". In Irish mythology, this was the name of a warrior who was killed by his friend Cúchulainn. Vikings actor Ferdia Walsh-Peelo is a famous bearer.

Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.

Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.

If your ancestry is Italian, you may want to consider this elegant twist on a classic.

Nine little goddesses got this lovely name in the US in 2021, making it a usable yet unusual entry in the popular mythological category. Devika is a diminutive of Devi, the head goddess of Hindu mythology. English speakers might make Devi the short form.

This lovely, rhythmic Hindu nature name relates to the mythical Kalinda Mountains, from which a sacred river flows.

A seriously classic name meaning love, Adelpha is also the name for a genus of butterflies.

Niya is an alternative name for Lilith, a demon or goddess in mythology. Niya is still worshipped today in a cult located in parts of Eastern Europe.

Analia is a melodic newcomer to the US Top 1000, a fresher spin on the Olde Worlde Anamaria. It charted in the US from 2009 to 2012, and then reentered the popularity list in 2015. El Rostro de Analia is a popular Spanish language telenova on the Telemundo channel, which probably greatly contributed to its initial entry to the US list in 2009 at Number 331 when it was unranked the previous year!

Nadezhda is more familiar in the English-speaking world by its short forms, Nadia or Nadya. Well-used through the Slavic countries and Russia, Nadezhda was the name of Lenin's wife. Viewers of The Americans learned that this was the original Russian name of the spy known as Elizabeth Jennings, played by Keri Russell.

Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls.

Form of Elisha or Eliseus, a prophet in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Kitana is the name of a character in Mortal Kombat II -- she's a princess who looks young but is actually 10,000 years old. It may be related to the male Persian name Katana, which means honorable, or even more likely to the Japanese word katana which means sword.

Krishna, in Hindu tradition, was the human incarnation of the god Vishnu, a heroic figure representing love and joy--the familiar "Hare Krishna" is a chant to this deity.

A pretty Kazakh name derived from Turkish ayla, meaning "moonlight". The Hawaiian name 'Ailana (with the 'okina mark) means "loving".