Fun Facts About the Name Kara
- A favorite of earlier generations: Kara appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 3 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1988 through 1988.
- More than 102 thousand babies named Kara: U.S. records list 102,022 babies given the name Kara from 1880 through 2025. Even 282 boys received the name Kara - about 1 boy for every 361 girls.
What Does the Name Kara Mean?
Kara is used mainly as a feminine given name in English, and it is usually explained through more than one independent origin, so more than one meaning is attached to it.
The most common explanation treats Kara as a variant of Cara, which comes from the Italian and Spanish word cara, "beloved" or "dear." That word goes back to the Latin adjective cārus, "dear." On this reading the name means "beloved."
A second origin is Irish: Kara is described as an anglicized spelling of Ceara, a feminine name built on the Irish element ciar, "dark" or "black." This gives a different meaning, "dark."
Separately, the Turkish word kara means "black" or "dark" and is used in Turkish names and surnames; this is a distinct development rather than the source of the English name. A Cornish explanation from a word for "love" is sometimes offered, but it is not as firmly supported as the Cara and Irish derivations.
Kara Name History & Origins
The English name Kara is closely tied to the older name Cara. Cara was used in Italy and Spain as a name taken from the word cara, "dear," and it entered English-language use as a given name; Kara became a common alternative spelling in the 20th century.
In Ireland, Kara appears as an English-language spelling of the Irish name Ceara, which is formed from ciar, "dark." Several Irish names begin with the same element, including Ciaran and Ciara, and Ceara has been rendered into English in more than one spelling.
In Turkish, kara is an ordinary word meaning "black" or "dark" and has long been used in personal names and titles, as in the Ottoman figure Kara Mustafa Pasha. This Turkish usage has its own history and is separate from the English given name.
A well-known modern use of the name is in fiction: Kara Zor-El, the Kryptonian name of the DC Comics character Supergirl, who was introduced in 1959. That is a literary use of an existing name, not its origin.
How Popular is the Name Kara?
Kara recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1991. Kara ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1984 through 1985, then returned in 1988 and remained through 1988.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,075 | 226 | 0.0141% |
| 2024 | #988 | 261 | 0.0162% |
| 2023 | #939 | 283 | 0.0177% |
| 2022 | #870 | 319 | 0.0195% |
| 2021 | #764 | 373 | 0.0227% |
| 2020 | #673 | 426 | 0.0264% |
| 2019 | #575 | 530 | 0.0316% |
| 2018 | #500 | 621 | 0.0365% |
| 2017 | #516 | 609 | 0.0353% |
| 2016 | #499 | 626 | 0.0353% |
| 2015 | #507 | 624 | 0.0350% |
| 2014 | #440 | 730 | 0.0409% |
| 2013 | #374 | 834 | 0.0475% |
| 2012 | #364 | 860 | 0.0488% |
| 2011 | #339 | 938 | 0.0533% |
| 2010 | #292 | 1,113 | 0.0626% |
| 2009 | #238 | 1,391 | 0.0757% |
| 2008 | #257 | 1,338 | 0.0708% |
| 2007 | #289 | 1,171 | 0.0609% |
| 2006 | #282 | 1,192 | 0.0627% |
| 2005 | #267 | 1,230 | 0.0666% |
| 2004 | #249 | 1,284 | 0.0699% |
| 2003 | #239 | 1,356 | 0.0742% |
| 2002 | #223 | 1,403 | 0.0781% |
| 2001 | #216 | 1,476 | 0.0820% |
| 2000 | #192 | 1,649 | 0.0908% |
| 1999 | #183 | 1,688 | 0.0952% |
| 1998 | #176 | 1,711 | 0.0968% |
| 1997 | #161 | 1,907 | 0.1096% |
| 1996 | #165 | 1,909 | 0.1089% |
| 1995 | #152 | 2,148 | 0.1221% |
| 1994 | #134 | 2,376 | 0.1331% |
| 1993 | #131 | 2,527 | 0.1397% |
| 1992 | #114 | 2,931 | 0.1590% |
| 1991 | #106 | 3,280 | 0.1749% |
| 1990 | #110 | 3,036 | 0.1599% |
| 1989 | #101 | 3,122 | 0.1693% |
| 1988 | #95 | 3,039 | 0.1707% |
| 1987 | #104 | 2,699 | 0.1552% |
| 1986 | #102 | 2,722 | 0.1587% |
| 1985 | #98 | 2,811 | 0.1634% |
| 1984 | #95 | 2,855 | 0.1696% |
| 1983 | #101 | 2,714 | 0.1625% |
| 1982 | #113 | 2,661 | 0.1571% |
| 1981 | #121 | 2,439 | 0.1462% |
| 1980 | #127 | 2,445 | 0.1473% |
| 1979 | #125 | 2,300 | 0.1433% |
| 1978 | #127 | 2,290 | 0.1495% |
| 1977 | #120 | 2,415 | 0.1575% |
| 1976 | #138 | 2,037 | 0.1390% |
| 1975 | #118 | 2,358 | 0.1617% |
| 1974 | #125 | 2,304 | 0.1570% |
| 1973 | #167 | 1,630 | 0.1118% |
| 1972 | #196 | 1,454 | 0.0956% |
| 1971 | #204 | 1,469 | 0.0883% |
| 1970 | #209 | 1,503 | 0.0860% |
| 1969 | #222 | 1,354 | 0.0803% |
| 1968 | #290 | 908 | 0.0554% |
| 1967 | #275 | 949 | 0.0575% |
| 1966 | #380 | 580 | 0.0343% |
| 1965 | #319 | 798 | 0.0452% |
| 1964 | #367 | 663 | 0.0350% |
| 1963 | #329 | 818 | 0.0424% |
| 1962 | #429 | 516 | 0.0262% |
| 1961 | #554 | 319 | 0.0158% |
| 1960 | #910 | 135 | 0.0067% |
| 1959 | #1,002 | 111 | 0.0055% |
| 1958 | #935 | 122 | 0.0061% |
| 1957 | #1,093 | 92 | 0.0045% |
| 1956 | #937 | 116 | 0.0058% |
| 1955 | #1,100 | 83 | 0.0042% |
| 1954 | #1,388 | 53 | 0.0027% |
| 1953 | #1,322 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 1952 | #1,533 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 1951 | #1,493 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 1950 | #1,664 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1949 | #2,098 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1948 | #1,879 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1947 | #1,516 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1946 | #1,830 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1945 | #1,960 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1944 | #1,941 | 20 | 0.0015% |
| 1943 | #2,193 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1942 | #1,734 | 24 | 0.0018% |
| 1941 | #2,055 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1940 | #2,492 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1939 | #2,354 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1938 | #2,389 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1937 | #2,140 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1936 | #3,547 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #3,308 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #4,052 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #3,268 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #4,160 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1931 | #4,673 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1919 | #4,044 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1896 | #1,713 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #8,536 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #10,031 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #6,099 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #9,117 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,804 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #3,726 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #6,849 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #3,630 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #2,949 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #3,511 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1984 | #4,772 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #2,738 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1982 | #3,399 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1981 | #4,742 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #3,347 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #3,454 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #3,486 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #4,211 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #2,833 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1974 | #3,702 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #4,717 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #5,288 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #3,676 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #3,766 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #4,431 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #3,769 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,720 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,471 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,135 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,633 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1916 | #3,692 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1915 | #3,628 | 6 | 0.0007% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Kara
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Kara Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Kara's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kara's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.