The first name Kara

In 2025, 31 girls were named Kara, making it the 1,079th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2011, with 275 births (#186).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kara with other names.

In 2025, 226 girls born in the United States were named Kara, the 1,075th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1991, when 3,281 were.

US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

• Deborah Kara Unger
  Canadian actress, born 1966
• Kara Walker
  American painter and installation artist (born 1969)
• Kara DioGuardi
  American music producer, composer and pop singer, born 1970
• Kara Hayward
  American actress, born 1998
• Kara Goucher
  American long-distance runner, born 1978
• Kara Lawson
  American basketball player and coach, born 1981
• Kara Monaco
  American model, born 1983
• Kara Wai
  Chinese-born actress, born 1960
• Kara Tointon
  English actress, born 1983
• Kara Wolters
  American basketball player (born 1975)
• Kara Lynn Joyce
  American swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, world champion, born 1985
• Kara Winger
  American javelin thrower, born 1986

What does the name Kara mean?

Variant of Cara.

How popular is the name Kara?

In 2025, 31 girls born in England and Wales were named Kara, ranking 1,079th. Its peak was 2011, with 275 births.

Is Kara a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 102,025 US babies named Kara since 1880 were girls.

When was Kara most popular?

1991 in the United States, when 3,281 babies were named Kara, its highest rank at 106th.

Is Kara also a surname?

Yes. Kara is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.