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Boys' Names Ending in -a Part 1

Vana
By Vana
Updated Tue Oct 27 2015
Names ending in -a are popular for girls, but there are loads of names ending in -a that are used for boys too.
  1. Ezra

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "help"

    • Description:

      Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
  2. Luca

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
  3. Krishna

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"

    • Description:

      Krishna is the name of a supreme Hindu god, and is often found in Hindu families. While it leans masculine, it is also given to girls, and a survey of names back in 2014 revealed the split was around 60:40.
  4. Koa

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian

    • Meaning:

      "warrior; flowing tree native to Hawaii"

    • Description:

      The international popularity of Noah has led to some parents searching for alternatives and the rhyming Koa is now attracting more attention than ever. With its cool K initial and summery, nature-inspired feel, this punchy three letter name has risen more than 600 places since it entered the US charts in 2017.
  5. Asa

    • Origin:

      Hebrew; Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "healer; born in the morning"

    • Description:

      A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.
  6. Ira

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "watchful one; wind"

    • Description:

      Succinct and sharp, Ira is one of the shortest Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was Number 57 on the Social Security list in 1881), but fell off completely in 1993, only to return in 2016. Currently, it is in the latter half of the US Top 1000, given to around 260 boys each year.
  7. Joshua

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is my salvation"

    • Description:

      Joshua, a Top 10 name from 1983 until 2010, has dropped out of the Top 50 but manages to present a relaxed, attractive image, with a bit of the Old West mixed in with its biblical persona.
  8. Luka

    • Origin:

      Russian; Serbian; Croatian; Slovene

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Luka is one of the coolest names in recent years, following suit of its cousin Luca which is now a Top 50 name. Luka is on its way up the charts and may crack the Top 100 in the very near future. Luka has a lot going for it — it is following the tails of Lucas and Luke which have been enjoying significant popularity for years. It also boasts the very current "-ah" ending sound that feels fresher than ever for boy names, from Noah to Ezra to Judah. The "k" in the middle gives an extra edge as well. This spelling is the traditional form of Luke in various Eastern European countries.
  9. Misha

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Mikhail

    • Description:

      Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha.
  10. Elisha

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my salvation"

    • Description:

      Creative name whose only limitation is that it looks like it would be pronounced akin to Alicia and Elissa — although as a Biblical boys’ name, it is traditionally pronounced ee-LIE-shah.
  11. Dakota

    • Origin:

      Place-name; Sioux

    • Meaning:

      "friendly one"

    • Description:

      An early and still one of the most popular unisex names, also a place name and name of a Native American people in the northern Mississippi valley, which makes it a controversial baby name choice. While the popularity of Dakota is trending downward for both genders, it's one of those rare genuinely gender-neutral names that is used for nearly equal numbers of boys and girls.
  12. Ilya

    • Origin:

      Russian variation of Elijah

    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is my God"

    • Description:

      A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov." Unfortunately, he spends most of his life in his bathrobe and slippers.
  13. Elia

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Elijah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah is God"

    • Description:

      A multicultural appellation, found in Hebrew, Italian, and Zuni, this likable name made famous by director Elia Kazan's only problem is the feminine a ending. But then again, that never hurt Joshua.
  14. Ara

    • Origin:

      Armenian

    • Meaning:

      "king"

    • Description:

      Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.
  15. Mika

    • Origin:

      Finnish short form of Mikael

    • Meaning:

      "who is like God"

    • Description:

      This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the family, but be prepared for a lot of people pronouncing it with a long i as in Mike.
  16. Hosea

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "salvation"

    • Description:

      Since so many of the biblical prophet names -- Daniel, Jonah, Nathan, Samuel -- are overused, you might want to consider this distinctive alternative. Hosea was the author of the book of prophesies bearing his name, whose underlying message was a promise of restoration. The Talmud claims that he was the greatest prophet of his generation.
  17. Musa

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Moses

    • Description:

      With its gentle but solid sounds, Musa is a name that feels both dignified and energetic. The Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Moses, Musa is popular internationally, from The Netherlands to Turkey to The UK.
  18. Andrea

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Andrew, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"

    • Description:

      Andrea may be a gender neutral name in its native Italy and other European countries, but in the US it's 98 percent a girls' name, with only about 20 males to more than 1800 baby girl given that name in the most recent year counted.
  19. Issa

    • Description:

      Issa is a masculine name with multicultural origins. In Arabic culture, it is the name for Jesus (prophet Isa in Islam) and means 'God is salvation.' It also appears in Slavic languages as a diminutive of names like Isidor. In Japanese, Issa can be a given name meaning 'one tea' or was famously the pen name of the poet Kobayashi Issa. The name's brevity and melodic quality have contributed to its growing international appeal. Issa has gained popularity in recent decades, especially in Muslim communities and among parents seeking short, meaningful names with cross-cultural significance. Its simplicity makes it easy to pronounce across different languages, adding to its global accessibility while maintaining cultural richness.

  20. Arya

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      A venerable boys' name in Persian and South Asian cultures that is increasingly used for girls in most parts of the world, thanks largely to the popularity of Game of Thrones character Arya Stark. In the U.S., for instance, there were 1890 newborn girls named Arya in 2016 and just 54 boys in 2016. The related Aryan remains mostly male, however, so it would likely be a better choice for a little boy, if you don't mind the other meaning.