Given name & surname
Chara
“beloved”·“one who is dearly loved”·“a good friend”
Chara is a variant of Cara. Interpretations include “beloved”, “one who is dearly loved”, and “a good friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Chara is a variant of Cara. Interpretations include “beloved”, “one who is dearly loved”, and “a good friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Chara is a variant of Cara. An origin associated with Cara is Italian.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1956. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Chara through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,012
- 0 boys · 1,012 girls
- Most popular year
- 1982
- 39 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #13,546 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −46%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 13,546 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,115 as a first name in 2020; 105 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Chara’s family of names
Chara has a related form in Cara. In Greek usage, Chara as a surname is a transliteration of Χάρα. In English usage, Chara has a conventional equivalent in the Greek form Χαρά.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Chara, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Darah
“a wise woman” · “from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Alaura
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Dara
“a wise woman” · “from the oak tree”
14% boys · 86% girls
Allegra
Allegra is a variant of Alegria. One Spanish interpretation is “one who is cheerful and brings happiness to others.”
>99% girls
Aja
1% boys · 99% girls
Terra
“goddess of the earth; the land itself”
>99% girls
Charity
“a woman of generous love”
>99% girls
Farrah
“fair-haired woman” · “one who bears the burden”
>99% girls