Boys' Names Ending in -a Part 2

Simba

Swahili or Shona

"lion; strength"

Traditional African name made cartoonish by the Disney character in The Lion King. In Shona it means "strength".

Nevada

Spanish place-name

"covered in snow"

Western place-name that feels equally appropriate for both genders. Note: Natives say rhyme that second syllable with had, so it's not nehv-AH-da.

Sascha

German variation of Sasha

"defending warrior"

In Europe, this name is mostly male, but here it's more fashionable for girls. It's a diminutive of Alexander.

Pasha

Russian, diminutive of Pavel

"small, humble"

Similar in sound to Sasha, Pasha is a Russian diminutive of the name Pavel, itself a form of Paul. Also used as a title for a high ranking officer in the (now historical) Ottoman military, and as the…

Zia

Arabic, Hebrew

"splendour, light, glow; shaking, trembling"

A succinct variation of Ziya, Zia is an Arabic boy name, with a glowing meaning, also used as the Urdu and Bengali transcription. Notable bearers of the name include Bangaledeshi politician Ziaur…

Roma

Roma as a masculine name has multiple potential origins, creating a rich cultural tapestry. In Latin contexts, it directly references the eternal city of Rome, carrying connotations of strength and…

Savva

Russian

"grandfather, old man; wise"

Savva is the Russian variant of the Spanish name Sabas. Chekhov used it for a handsome charmer in one of his short stories.

Mccanna

Irish surname

"son of the wolf cub"

Gary Sinise chose this Mc name for his late son McCanna, called Mac, in 1990, before Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mc or Mac became common as first names. Mac Sinise passed away from a…

Nakia

Arabic

"pure"

Attractive name, but it does sound feminine. Some have changed it to Nakari. Although it does not make the U.S. Top 1000, Nakia is among the ten fastest-rising names for both boys and girls.