Names ending in a

Less-traditional variation of Michaela that's found more popularity than the original.  The appeal for many parents is that this spelling clarifies pronunciation and also offers two names in one, incorporating the popular Kayla. While Makayla is the most popular version, all forms of the name are now dropping in the polls.

Mikayla

A Scottish favorite that could make it here thanks to its similarity to the word divine. It's the most popular of several feminizations of David used in Scotland, including Davida, Davinia and Davidina, which have less of a chance in the U.S. It reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time in two decades in 2016.

Davina

This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes. 

Karina

Kenna is the Scottish version of Kendra, both of which are feminine versions of Kenneth. Used in the TV show Reign for one of the supporting characters.

Kenna

Mustafa is a name widely used in Turkey, as it was the given name of the man popularly known as Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Mustafa is also an epithet of the prophet Muhammad and was the name of four Ottoman sultans. Other spellings include Mostafa, Moustafa, and Moustapha.

Mustafa

Elina is one of the many variations of mother name Helen to make the US Top 1000 list, and is given to around 300 girls each year. While it might blend in among the Helenas, Elenas, and Alinas, it might be a good way to go if you want the eh-lee-nuh pronunciation or the potential for nicknames Elle, Ellie, or Ella. 
 
Popular in Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Latvia, and Armenia, Elina is an international name that can also be spelled with various accents, depending on where it is used. Elīna is most often seen in Latvia, while Élina is sometimes used in France.

Elina

Christina, a pretty and feminine, crystal clear classic, may be trending downward, but it's never out of style and its extra syllable does keep it fresher feeling than Christine. Christina's short forms Chris, Christie, and Tina might seem date to some — but used in its full form, it possesses the strength and elegance of Diana, Josephine, and Ophelia.
 
A feminine form of Christian, with the same spiritual meaning, this name was borne by a number of early saints, and a 17th-century Swedish queen who was known for being a patron of the arts, and for giving up her crown to become a Roman Catholic. 
 Christina is now well represented by actresses Applegate, Ricci, and Mad Men's Hendricks, alongside singer Aguilera and Orphan Train novelist Baker Kline. Previous bearers include British poet Christina Rossetti and Australian novelist Christina Stead.
 
While Christina is out of style across Europe and Scandinavia and sits in the latter half of the US charts, it is possible that astronaut Christina Koch (who completed a mission to the moon in 2026) may inspire parents to reconsider the name. Plus, nicknames Kiki, Cece, Christa, Kit, Kitty, and Cricket might be appealing.

Christina

The original form of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, whose name is now a worldwide sensation. Freya is the most common variant, although Freja is preferred in Denmark and Sweden. Iceland still uses Freyja, the Old Norse spelling.

Freyja

Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern. Derived from the Latin Caelius, it means "heavenly".
 Shakespeare has been credited with introducing Celia in As You Like It, and it was to Celia that the poet Ben Jonson penned the immortal line, "Drink to me only with thine eyes." Other literary Celias have appeared in works ranging from George Eliot's Middlemarch to T. S. Eliot's The Cocktail Party to Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin</em.>
 
While Celia has a similar sound to Cecilia, and may well be used as a short form of the longer name, the two have different roots. Cecilia comes from the Latin caecus meaning "blind", while Celia is from caelum meaning "heaven". 
 
Familiar but not overused, Celia has been in the US Top 1000 since records began in the 1880s, however, it has been outside the Top 500 since the 60s. Also in the England and Wales Top 1000, it is a favorite in Spain, France, and Belgium. Said as SEE-lee-uh or SEEL-yuh among English speakers, in Spanish, it may be pronounced THEHL-ya or SEHL-ya, depending on region. 
 
A bit of trivia: Celia is an anagram of Alice, meaning it could potentially work as an honor name.

Celia

Deriving from the same East Asian root as Malaysia and Malay, Malaya is a name that recalls the more popular Maya and the name of 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai. It first appeared in the US Top 1000 in 2006.

Malaya

Inaya is a soft and expressive name that derives from the Arabic word "inayah", meaning "care, concern, help". It is an indirect Qur'anic name, and the strictly feminine form of the unisex Inayat.
 
A name with multiple spelling variants, including Anaya, Inaaya and Enayah, Inaya was one of the fastest rising names in the US in 2024. It now sits in the Top 800 and is given to nearly 370 babies each year. 
 Across Europe, it is a Top 100 girls' name in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, and it is trending upwards in the UK and Switzerland too. With its pleasing meaning, appealing look, and gentle but sparkly sounds, it seems set to follow in the footsteps of Soraya, Farrah, Leila and Aaliyah as an Arabic name that is also popular in the English-speaking world.
 
Notable namesakes include singer Inaya Day, Lebanese politician Inaya Ezzeddine, and British journalist and presenter Inaya Folarin Iman. 
 
Currently, the spelling variant, Anaya remains more popular in the US and has been since the 2000s, though this might be attributed to the fact it is also a Spanish place name. Inaya has something more distinctive about it, with that underused 'In-' beginning and sleek spelling that may see it rise further in coming years.

Inaya

A popular name in the Middle Ages, Evelina was eclipsed by Evelyn in the last century, but has a chance at a well-deserved comeback now, fitting right in with the other Ev-names. Like Evelyn, it derives from the Norman name Aveline.

Evelina

Luella is a sleeker spelling variant of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> Louella and is now more popular than the original. Sweet, but lively, it was a popular name in the the early 19th century, but fell out of favor in the 50s. Now, after a 60 year absence, it's back in the charts, in the US and the UK. 
 
A smoosh name that combines Lou- from Louisa with the popular ending -ella, the name could have some lofty meanings such as 'battle famous fairy maiden", "goddess of battle", "she who is glorious in war" or "renowned warrior of light", depending on which etymological root you follow. 
 
The blend of classic sounds in Luella come together to make a name that feels stylish and fresh but also vintage. Given to just under 300 girls each year, it could also work as an alternative for the popular Eloise.

Luella

More stylish than either Paula or Pauline, it was given a glamour gloss by model Paulina Porizkova in the nineties.

Paulina

The enormous popularity of Emily and Emma means that parents will be looking further afield for substitutes -- and this is one of the prettiest.

Emiliana

Creative name whose only limitation is that it looks like it would be pronounced akin to Alicia and Elissa — although as a Biblical <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, it is traditionally pronounced ee-LIE-shah. 

 With Elijah a Top 10 choice, Elisha seems like a natural alternative for those preferring a slightly more unusual – but still super traditional – boy name. In fact, in the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and disciple of similarly named Elijah.

Elisha

One of the many liquid, vowel-heavy names that are so fashionable right now.

Alaiya

Paloma is vibrant and ruby-lipped a la jewelry designer Paloma Picasso, but it also suggests peace, as symbolized by the dove. Paloma is a highly recommended striking but soft name, one of the best of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace">names that mean peace</a> and <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girls' names starting with P</a>.
 Salma Hayak used Paloma as the middle name of her daughter Valentina, and it was the first name pick of David Caruso and Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz.

Paloma

This spelling of the name has ties to Hebrew, Slavic, and Scandinavian cultures, in addition to being another alternative to Reina and Reyna. It is most recently attached to hit television show Nashville's Rayna Jaymes, played by Connie Britton.

Rayna

Similar in sound to the flower name Dahlia, this gentle but distinctive name, heard in many cultures, hits that Golden Mean between too popular and too unusual. In Lithuanian mythology, Dalia is a goddess of weaving and of fate.