Names ending in a

The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people. 

Melania

A multicultural choice, Aleyna is a familiar name in Turkey, the UK, the Netherlands, and in France, where it has been on the rise in recent years. In the US, it has been given to a growing number of girls since the 90s, helped along in recent years perhaps by singer Aleyna Tillki, model Aleyna FitzGerald, and actress, influencer, and singer, Aleyna Dalveren. 
 
As a variation of Elena, Alaina, and Elaina, it is connected to the classic Helen, giving it a bright and shining meaning. As a Turkish and Arabic name, it can mean "soft, tender, delicate" or "to us" depending on which root you follow.

Aleyna

Elyana is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, blending elements of various naming traditions. It can be viewed as a variation of Elena or Eliana, with roots in Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic languages. The Hebrew interpretation connects to 'el' meaning 'God' combined with 'ana' suggesting 'answered prayer,' while in Arabic contexts it may relate to softness or tenderness. Elyana gained popularity in the early 2000s as parents sought melodic names with the popular 'El' beginning and 'ana' ending. The name strikes a balance between familiar and distinctive with its flowing sound and intuitive spelling. While not among the top-ranked names, Elyana continues to appeal to parents seeking a contemporary feminine name with cross-cultural resonance and spiritual undertones.

Elyana

Kassandra is actually the original form of Cassandra (Greek names do not have Cs), though most will see it as a Kardashianization, which is a shame! As you might expect, the C currently charts higher. Still, Kassandra can lead to all sorts of cute nicknames, such as Kassie, Kass, and Sandy.

Kassandra

Why is Evangeline so popular -- close to Number 200 in the US -- while Evangelina hasn't charted in the Top 1000 since the early 1950s? The stardom of Evangeline Lilly has something to do with the relative popularity of that form, but Evangelina is just as pretty and romantic but given to only 10% as many baby girls.

Evangelina

Odessa, (transcribed as Odesa in Ukrainian) is a Ukrainian port city and was given its name by Catherine the Great, who was inspired by Homer's Odyssey. It would make an original and intriguing choice. 
 Though rare today, Odessa had more U.S. popularity in the past than you might imagine. It actually ranked in the Top 1000 every year from 1880, the year Social Security records began to be kept, through until 1956. Then anti-Russian sentiment during the Cold War took it off the table. Michael Chiklis, onetime Commish, has a daughter named Odessa.
 
Recent years have seen Odessa receive increased (though quiet) interest again in the US, with 133 girls given the name in the latest count, the highest number of babies called Odessa in a single year since the 60s.

Odessa

Khaza got a big boost when rapper Kevin Gates chose it for his son in 2014, and an even bigger boost with the release of his 2022 album of the same name. Gates' influence led to Khaza being one of the fastest-rising names of 2022, jumping 391 spots. It continued to climb in 2023, albeit more slowly, when it was given to more than 300 boys in the US. 
 
The name comes from the Arabic element kinz meaning "treasure", an appealing epithet for a child.

Khaza

Long used in Spanish-speaking countries, this strong but feminine name was jump-started here by the rise of actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The Italian Giada is a popular variation. In the Bible, the name Jada was borne by a man and has a different root and meaning: It's Hebrew and means "he knows".

Jada

Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New Artist Grammy from favorite Justin Bieber. It's also the name of the main character in the novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, about a young Latina growing up in Chicago.

Esperanza

A fast rising name in, Asiya jumped into the UK Top 500 for the first time in 2022. Visually similar to the well-known Aaliyah and Aisha, it is popular choice among Muslim parents. As of 2022, Asiya, Asiyah, and Aasiyah all ranked in the UK Top 1000 and is enjoyed in The Netherlands too. 
 
In Islamic tradition, Asiya was the wife of Pharaoh and the adoptive mother of Moses. She is celebrated as an exemplar woman for accepting monotheism and going against her husband's beliefs in order to be faithful to Allah. Some scholars believe that Moses went on to name the continent of Asia in her honor.
 
Other notable namesakes include Pakistani politician Asiya Azeem and Kenyan Paralympian rower, Asiya Mohammad,

Asiya

Cattleya is a delicate feminine name derived from the genus of orchids known for their showy, colorful blooms. The flower was named by botanist John Lindley in 1824 to honor William Cattley, an English horticulturist who successfully cultivated the species. As a given name, Cattleya emerged as part of the botanical naming trend, appealing to parents seeking something unique yet naturally beautiful. The name conveys elegance, rarity, and natural beauty. While uncommon in English-speaking countries, it has gained some popularity in Brazil and among families appreciating its exotic floral association. The nickname 'Cat' or 'Leya' offers more casual alternatives.

Cattleya

A Jada alternative that has lost ground this decade after peaking around 2010.

Jayda

Carmela has been most famous recently as the name of Tony Soprano's TV wife, played by Edie Falco. The spellings Carmela and Carmella are both used in Latin cultures including Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, and are used nearly equally in the US, given to a total of about 300 baby girls last year.

Carmela

Juana has not achieved the popularity in the U.S. of the male version Juan.  Whereas Juan has made it almost to the Top 50 on the U. S. hit parade, sister Juana has barely entered the thousand most popular. It is nevertheless a popular choice in Mexico.


Juana

Kalea is a Top 100 name for girls in Hawaii, that may also be spelled as Kale'a. Sources differ on the meaning of the name, but the most authoritative land on "joy or happiness", with other suggestions being "clear", "call, voice", "the bright one" or a combination of other Hawaiian names, such as Kalani and Leilani. 
 
Outside of Hawaii, it is worth bearing in mind that people may use this as a spelling variation of Kaliyah or Kaylee.

Kalea

Aiyana is a name that could easily cross cultures. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1999 and hovers near the bottom of the Top 1000.

Aiyana

This name has two derivations. One is as a member of the well-populated Alice/Alicia family (with an overly literal spelling), which gives it the meaning "noble"; the other is an Urdu name with the meaning "protected by God." If you're going with the first derivation, we suggest you stick with the classic and beautiful Alicia.
 This spelling of the name peaked in the 1980s.

Alisha

As a female name, Anaia is typically used in its Basque form, where it is derived from the word anai, meaning "brother." In the Bible, Anaiah is the name of two minor male characters.

Anaia

Mariela

Kya, a variation of the popular Kaia, the feminine form of the also-popular gender-neutral name Kai, was one of the fastest-rising girls' names of 2023.

Names starting with the ky (rhymes with by and why) sound are trending in general, with Kya along with four other names making up a full quarter of the fastest-rising names of 2023.