Names ending in a

This Hindi name for the fifth element, related to the male Akash which means "open sky," was used by Anne Rice in her Vampire Chronicles.

Cytherea, a place-name that is the home of Aphrodite, seems stuck in ancient Greece.

This simple and pretty name means "goddess" in Brazilian Portuguese, and was given to a few dozen girls in 2022.

A name that gained some currency through its rhyming relationship to Breanna, though it has been on a downward trend since 1989.

A pretty international form of Helena used in many Slavic languages, also sometimes spelled Yelena.

A sweet and simple multicultural choice which has several different meanings and origins.

Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, there is a character named Marchioness Melora Manson.

This alluring Greek name has two possible meanings — possibly meaning "she who fulfills her obligations, or potentially deriving from the Greek anisos meaning "unequal".

As an Arabic name, Rania is a variation of Raniya, ultimately derived from the Arabic word ranā meaning "to gaze" or "side look". Other descendants of this root include Ranya and Rana itself. Familiar in the UK, Spain, the Netherlands and France, Rania is currently borne by Rania Al Abdullah, Queen of Jordan.

In the ancient Hindu religion, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain. The vowel ending makes it sound feminine to the English speaker; it also sounds like the French river Indre.

Could be the next Nova, now that celestial baby names are in the ascendent.

Has a nice fresh, early morning meaning, but not the most mellifluous of sounds. Also spelled Arpineh.

Sweet and bright international form of Josephine, used in many European countries with various pronunciations of the initial J. A notable bearer is Josefina "Joey" Guerrero, a Filipina spy during World War II.

Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.

Widespread popularity in the Latino community has propelled this name up the charts in the US. Ximena is the more popular version, given to about three times as many baby girls as Jimena, maybe because of that edgy initial X.

Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills.

An epithet of the sun and the Hindu god Shiva, also borne by a 12th century Indian astronomer. Bhaskar, a common Indian surname, is related.

Cristina is one case where the streamlined version feels more alluring.

Alta, one of the newer names bookended by the letter A, has a meaning that might raise a child's self-esteem. It was the middle name of First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.

Culmination of two trends: names bookended by As and Nova names, seen in names like Novalee, Novalyn, and Zanova.