If you are drawn to the sound of baby names that end in "a" or an "ah" sound, the choices seem to be unlimited. Here a few baby names that fit the bill and we think you'll love.

Excellent baby girl names that end with A

Abra

Abra is a lovely, feminine form of Abraham, a popular Hebrew name that means "father to many." Aside from being the name of a fourth century French saint, Abra appears in the Bible's Book of Judith as a maid. Fictional characters named Abra are also featured in novels by both Stephen King, John Steinbeck, and Nora Roberts.  And Abra Moore is an alt folk singer who founded the indie band Poi Dog Pondering. This rare literary name seems in no danger of becoming too popular – all the more reason to grab it for your newborn heroine.

Althea

Althea is perhaps best known as the poetic name of the laid-back lullaby of a Grateful Dead song "Althea." But there's also Althea Gibson, the first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title – Wimbledon. Althea comes from the Greek name Althaia – a name from Greek mythology that means "to heal." Quite popular in Norway and Denmark, Althea was conjured as an imaginary lover in a Robert Lovelace poem, "To Althea, From Prison": "Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage."

Celia

Celia is rooted in the Latin word caelum, meaning "heaven." This classic and mellifluous name was given a boost into the mainstream centuries ago by William Shakespeare in his play "As You Like It." In recent decades, Celia has had another turn in the spotlight as the name of a main character in Erin Morgenstern's fantasy novel The Night Circus. As underrated as it gets, Celia is a refreshing ends-with-an-"a" choice.

Eliza

Eliza is a short name for Elizabeth, a biblical name that hearkens to the 16th century, where it was borne by Queen Elizabeth I – yet feels thoroughly modern, possibly thanks to Hamilton, the musical. Before Eliza Hamilton came Eliza Doolittle, the lead character in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, which later became the film My Fair Lady. Equal parts sophisticated and vibrant, this name is as evergreen as it gets.

Gemma

Gemma (pronounced jem-ah) is a medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem," or "precious stone." It's also used in parts of Spain where Catalan is spoken. Also spelled Jemma, this gorgeous name was super popular in England, Wales, and Australia in the '80s and the '90s and has only very recently taken off in North America, with preference given to the version starting with a "g." Thirteenth-century Italian poet Dante was married to a woman named Gemma, and actresses Kristin Davis (Sex in the City) and Catherine Bell (JAG) both have daughters named Gemma, but a character named Gemma Morrow from a TV drama series, Sons of Anarchy, may be responsible for putting this blingy little name on the American radar.

Lucinda

Lucinda is, unexpectedly, a poetic play on the name Lucy that came into fashion in the 18th century. (Some mistakenly believe Lucinda came before Lucy.) This vintage name appeared in Cervantes' novel Don Quixote as well as in "L'Amour Médecin" by French playwright Moliere. With nickname options like Lulu, Lucy or Cinda – Lucy means "light" and Cinda means "moon goddess" – this name is as meaningful as it is versatile. Before you dismiss this name as too feminine or too formal, remember rock-folk-country singer Lucinda Williams – one of the most noteworthy bearers of this name – who's best described as a little bit country, and a lotta bit rock and roll.

Luna

Luna, the Italian word for moon, may well be on its way to being the new Sophia with its steady rise through the baby name charts. It was first boosted by the Harry Potter book series, then by the birth of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's daughter, Luna Legend, in 2016, and further by a character in the Animal Crossing video game. In a time when the world is in the grip of a pandemic, and nature seems more precious than ever, names borrowed from the natural world and outer space are all the more appealing. Part earthy healer, part Euro chic, this name shines.

Magnolia

Magnolia is the name of a flower (Magnolia Grandiflora) that, for anyone who has seen the ornamental magnolia tree in bloom, is nothing short of elegant. Magnolia trees can grow as large as 122 feet. Even without the beautiful J.J. Cale love song "Magnolia," this nature name is lovely and unusual enough in full, but with the option of becoming Maggie, "a child of light," it's a win-win winner.

Pippa

Pippa, a diminutive form of Philippa, is a distinctly British name, meaning "friend of horses." It may always be known as the name of the bridesmaid, Kate Middleton's sister, who one-upped the princess bride. But that flattering notoriety shouldn't be held against this name, which feels good on the lips, gentle and playful on the ears, and, with all those p's, looks great written down. Once the name of a popular British fashion doll in the '70s and '80s, Pippa may be the Barbie of England, but she's also a pivotal character in the Donna Tartt novel, The Goldfinch.

Twyla

Twyla may come from a Cajun translation of "etoile," the French word for "star." This beautiful name's meaning is exceptionally fitting when you consider Twyla Tharp, who's one of the world's most well-known contemporary dance choreographers. Popular Netflix series Schitt's Creek has a recurring character named Twyla. Also spelled Twila, this moniker has never broken into the Social Security top 500 names, but with some imagination, this name has star power.

Zelda

Zelda is the jazzy short form of the ancient Germanic name Griselda. Broken down in German, it means "grey warrior." Some sources trace this name back to the Yiddish word zelig, which means "happy." Most commonly known as the name of Jazz-Age-author F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda Fitzgerald, this name was most popular in the U.S. in 1911. It's recently come back around, perhaps as an alternative to more popular (read overused,) baby names ending with an "a."

Zora

Zora may come from a Slavic word that means "dawn." Spelled with an "h," Zorah is also a place name from the Bible. For anyone seeking a literary name, prolific Black author and Harlem Renaissance folklorist Zora Neal Hurston wrote the epic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, and the more recently published work of nonfiction Barracoon. Popular in Balkan countries, Zora is also a character in the bestselling novel, The Tiger's Wife. This strong and beautiful vintage name is a good alternative to Dawn or Aurora.

Excellent baby boy names that end with A

Asa

Asa is the name of an early Biblical king of Judea, and, like Althea, means "healer." It also means "morning" in Japanese, "hope" in Indonesia, "wing" in Portuguese, and "hawk" in the West African Yoruba language. This modern-sounding old name was picked up by the Puritans in the 17th century, but remained somewhat underused until the '90, when names ending with an "a" started to grab our ears. Parents love that it's a palindrome and a name that's easy all around. Actor Asa Butterfield is best known for his roles in the TV series Sex Education and the feature film, Hugo.

Elijah

Elijah is another biblical name that has been embraced by parents the world over, but didn't enter the U.S. Social Security top 100 until 1995 and has risen steadily every year since. Actor Elijah Wood, who plays Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings trilogy films, most certainly loans mainstream credibility to this name. The fact that Elijah is the name of a prophet takes a back seat to pure esthetics. The way it starts with an e, the unisex nickname Eli, and the soothing sounds of the soft "j" and the "ah" at the end have made this name so attractive it's currently #4 on the BabyCenter baby name list for boy's names.

Ezra

Ezra, which is trending here, means "help" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament's Book of Ezra, Ezra is a prophet. American children's book author Ezra Jack Keats, who wrote the beloved-by-all-ages book The Snowy Day, alt-rock band Better than Ezra, English pop singer George Ezra, Pretty Little Liars character Ezra Fitzgerald, and craft Kentucky bourbon distillers Ezra Brooks have each helped to lift this artsy biblical name into the mainstream after 40 years of relative obscurity.

Joshua

Joshua is one of the smoothest, more comforting names around. It's also decidedly biblical – surprise, surprise, so much so, one of the etymological theories surmises it's a variation of Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus. This name quite possibly set the trend for boy's names ending in an "ah" sound. After several decades of what some may call overuse, Joshua, and the nickname Josh, has settled into the top 100 where they will no doubt stay for a while.

Jonah

Jonah means "dove" in Hebrew and is featured in the Bible. The prophet Jonah disobeys God, gets thrown off a ship, and is saved from drowning by a whale that swallows him whole. The story of Jonah and the whale has since enlightened Bible scholars worldwide. While this Old World name has never been what you would call common, it was brought into the mainstream in the early '90s by a sympathetic child character in the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks film, Sleepless in Seattle. One of the steady risers on baby names for boy's lists today, this handsome name is officially glowing up.

Josiah

Josiah is a super-old yet newly hip and trendy alternative to the more traditional Joseph. The name of a biblical king, it means "God heals" in Hebrew and is one of several boy names that end, popularly, in "iah." This name was borne by a black politician during the Reconstruction era, named Josiah Armstrong. It's also got the next level benefit of shortening to Joe, a name that is pretty much impossible not to love.

Jedediah

Jedediah, with its adorable nickname Jed, conjures not only Jed Clampett, a beloved rags-to-riches TV show character played by Buddy Ebsen, but also a rugged hunter-trapper on the wild frontier. That's because of Jedediah Strong Smith, the first Eastern trader and trailblazer to enter California and return via is what is called the "overland route." Further back, Jedediah is yet another biblical name that means "friend of God." A more contemporary reference to this name can be found in the movie Night at the Museum, where Owen Wilson plays a miniature cowboy named Jedediah.

Koa

Koa has an earthy Hawaiian vibe to it for a reason: It's the name of a common tree found in Hawaii whose wood is sometimes used to make surfboards. It's also the name of a well-respected professional Hawaiian surfer, Koa Smith. Ending with an "a" and being a tree name – not to mention being used by pop star Kian Egan of the Irish boy band Westlife as a name for his baby boy, have all contributed to this name's steadily rising popularity. Catch it while you can.

Luca

Luca is an Italian variation of Luke and Lucas. It means "bright one," and "shining light." It's also said to mean "from Lucania," which is a region of southern Italy. Thought to be connected to the biblical name Luke, Luca is also used as a girl's name in some Eastern European countries such as Hungary. This Euro-sounding name has been quite popular throughout Europe, but has been steadily rising in the U.S., and is now being boosted by a fictional character named Luca Paguro, the young sea monster from Pixar's latest animated film, Luca.

Unisex baby names that end with  A

Dakota

Dakota has proven to be a non-binary name, ranked similarly for boys and girls. The name of an indigenous American tribe, and subsequently two of the United States, this strong name conjures a reverence to history while the three sharp syllables make it undeniably self-confident. With its native American roots, this name has an air of back to the earth. This Actress Dakota Fanning is one of the more notable bearers of this name.

Misha

Misha is not only a nickname for the Russian boy's name Mikhail (Michael), but it's another word for "bear." It has recently morphed into a gender-neutral name, perhaps influenced by actress Mischa Barton. Mikhail Baryshnikov, ballet dancer extraordinaire, is one of the more popular male namesakes of this graceful and handsome name.

Seneca

Seneca is best known as the name of an indigenous American tribe whose name translates to "place of stones." In the Latin translation, Seneca means "old." From a Roman philosopher and playwright (Seneca the younger), to a Seattle Seahawk quarterback (Seneca Wallace), to a fictional character (Seneca Crane from Hunger Games), this uncommon name has been well represented over time. It's also right in line with the rising popularity of place names – Seneca Falls, New York.

Sasha

Sasha is a Russian name. Most often associated with girls in English-speaking countries, it's decidedly used for boys in Eastern European countries where it's a diminutive of the common given name Alexander, or Alexandra, much like Misha for Mikhail and Pasha for Paul. In the Western world, it's also a nickname for the female name Natasha, which is the full name of Sasha Obama. Sacha Baron Cohen is one of the more extra-notable male bearers of this name. There have been several Olympic-caliber athletes named Sasha, including figure skating champion Sasha Cohen.

Noah

While traditionally a boy's name, Noah – as Noah Cyrus, sister of Miley, can testify – is a rather dope unisex name. It's straight from the Book of Genesis: Noah was instructed by God to build an arc and save the Earth's creatures from devastating floods. A less widely known story about Noah has him as the man who planted the earth's first vineyard and discovered fermentation and its interesting effects. The best thing about this sonorous name might be the meaning: Stemming from the Hebrew word noach, it means "rest" and "comfort." This ancient name with the contemporary sound is the second most popular name on most U.S. baby name ranking lists.

Nova

Nova has a nice twinkling ring to it; it kind of looks and feels vintage but is oh so ... well, new! (New, the English translation, is also gaining traction in the unisex baby name world.) But Nova's astronomical association with bright but fleeting "new" stars (which are actually remnants of old stars) gives this name superpowers and extraterrestrial appeal. Nova Ren Suma is a best-selling author of several young adult novels, including The Walls Around Us.