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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. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Musa

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Moses, Egyptian

    • Meaning:

      "delivered from the water"

    • 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Hamza

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "lion or strong"

    • Description:

      Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.
  10. Kenya

    • Origin:

      Place name, Kikuyu

    • Meaning:

      "mountain of white"

    • Description:

      A bold and evocative African place name. The country of Kenya gets its name from Mount Kenya, referred to it as "Kirinyaga" or "Kerenyaga" by the local Kikuyu people, meaning "mountain of whiteness" due to its snow-capped peak.
  11. Mustafa

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "the chosen one"

    • Description:

      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.
  12. 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.
  13. Arba

    • Description:

      Arba is a rare masculine name with ancient origins, appearing in biblical contexts as the name of a figure described as 'the greatest man among the Anakim' in the Book of Joshua. The Hebrew meaning relates to 'four' or possibly references Kiriath-arba, an ancient city. Throughout history, Arba has remained extremely uncommon across most cultures and regions. Its rarity gives it a distinctive quality that might appeal to parents seeking a name with biblical connections yet virtually no mainstream usage. The brevity and balanced sound of Arba, with its two syllables and open ending, gives it a gentle yet strong phonetic quality.

  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. Dana

    • Origin:

      English, Slavic, Persian Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "from Denmark, gift, or wise"

    • Description:

      Baby girl Danas outnumber baby boys with the name nearly ten to one. But Dana is an attractive, sleek name that can certain work for babies of either gender.
  17. Aditya

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "belonging to Aditi"

    • Description:

      Aditi's seven children, Hindu Gods, are named Aditya.
  18. Isa

    • Origin:

      Arabic variation of Jesus, German

    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is salvation; ice"

    • Description:

      Isa is an Arabic variation of Jesus found throughout the world and popular among Muslim parents. Alternative spellings include Issa, Esa, and Eissa.
  19. Akira

    • Origin:

      Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "bright, intelligent"

    • Description:

      Akira is a popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games. Akiro is a related name popular for boys.
  20. Alva

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "his highness"

    • Description:

      Edison's middle name is a fabulous option for parents looking for something with history and a soft sound. This could be the name you're looking for if you like Tesla's scientific pedigree but think that it has become too corporate with the advent of Elon Musk's company.

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