Boys' Names Ending in -a Part 2

Yahya

Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Yochanan

"God is Gracious"

Yahya is an Islamic name derived from the Hebrew Yochanan, making it both an honor for the prophet John the Baptist, and one of many international forms of John. In Islamic tradition, Yahya is…

Santana

Spanish, condensed form of Santa Ana

Santana was most recently heard on a female character on hit television show Glee . Nonetheless, this name ranks higher for boys, which can be credited to Grammy Award-winning musician Carlos Santana.

Yeshua

Variation of Joshua, Hebrew

"the Lord is my salvation"

Yeshua is often considered the "real" name of Jesus, via the Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English evolution of Yeshua to Iesous to Iesus to Jesus. It is also used as a common alternative of Yehoshua…

Shia

Entered the vernacular with the rising star of Shia LeBeouf. The meaning and origin of the name are disputed, though the actor has been quoted as saying he's embarrassed by its meaning in French:…

Zakaria

Zakaria is a masculine name of Arabic and Hebrew origin, serving as a variant of Zachariah or Zechariah, which means "God has remembered." This name appears in both the Bible and the Quran, where…

Shea

Irish

"the stately, dauntless one; hawk"

Not to be confused with shea butter, this name is a common surname in Ireland, combining spirit, substance, and gentleness. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha (SHEH), though it could also be used…

Simcha

Hebrew

"gladness, joy"

A celebratory choice with a bright sound, Simcha is also used as a word to describe Jewish festivities and joyful occasions such as a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah.

Yehoshua

Yehoshua is a masculine name of Hebrew origin and is the original form of the names Joshua and Jesus. It combines the elements 'Yeho,' referring to God, and 'shua,' meaning 'salvation' or…

Sasha

Russian diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

The energetic Russian nickname name Sasha is being used increasingly on its own, though since the prominence of the First Daughter, more than 90% of the American babies named Sasha are girls. Sacha…

Sacha

French variation of Sasha, Russian short form of Alexander, Greek

"defending warrior"

Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls. Its most prominent current bearer with this spelling is Sacha Baron Cohen. Sacha is a Top…

Nicola

Italian

"people of victory"

Nicola may be more familiar as a female name in English-speaking countries, but it's a popular classic choice for Italian baby boys – currently just outside the Top 50 there. A historic bearer is…

Omega

Greek

"last"

Omega is an unusual name used now equally for boys and girls, though the a ending is conventionally feminine. More popular boys' names, like Omega, end in the a sound these days: Joshua, Noah, Micah.

Toma

Romanian, Croatian

"twin"

Toma is one of the handful of names that has different versions for boys and girls. For boys, it's the Romanian and Croatian short form of Thomas.

Nikita

Russian cognate of Greek Aniketos

"unconquered"

A popular choice in Russia, Nikita is a sharp, zippy choice that became heavily associated with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the 50s and 60s. Derived from the Greek name Niketas meaning…

Nima

Hebrew

"margosa tree"

Model Trish Goff's Nima is a boy, but the a ending gives this name a feminine feel.

Seneca

Latin surname and Native American

"people of the standing rock"

Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.

Ra

Egyptian

"sun"

The name of the sun god of Egyptian mythology could only be used in combination with a longer name.

Raja

Arabic or Sanskrit

"hope; ruler"

A relatively popular Arabic and Sanskrit name, which has a great positive meaning no matter which origin you claim.

Sequoia

Sequoia is a masculine name derived from the name of the massive redwood trees native to California, which were themselves named after Sequoyah (c.1770-1843), the Cherokee silversmith who created a…