Given name & surname · also Italian, Greek
Kara
“one who is pure”·“dearly loved”·“a good friend”
Kara is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is pure”, “dearly loved”, and “a good friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original GreekΚάρα
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is pure”, “dearly loved”, and “a good friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Greek and Italian naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1896. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Kara is a diminutive of Katherine. The history of Katherine gives this family its wider story. Katherine’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Kara through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 102,025
- 282 boys · 101,743 girls
- Most popular year
- 1991
- 3,281 babies
- 2025
- 226
- #1,075 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −48%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 226 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,075 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 48.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,281 in 1991. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (25). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 93,447 as a first name in 2020; 1,544 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.
Kara’s family of names
In English usage, Kara is a diminutive of Katherine. In Turkish usage, Kara has a later derivative in KARAS. In English usage, Kara has a related form in Cara.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Katherinefull form · English
- Caravariant · English
- Karalynvariant
- Karalynnvariant
- Kharavariant
- Karravariant
- Karrahvariant
- Karaleevariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kara
- Kara Mustafa PashaOttoman military leader and grand vizier (1634-1683)
- Gara GarayevAzerbaijani composer (1918–1982)
- Kara Ahmed PashaGrand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire1450–1555
- Kara WalkerAmerican painter and installation artist (born 1969)
- Kara DioGuardiAmerican music producer, composer and pop singerborn 1970
- Qara YusufThe first sultan of Qara Qoyunlu dynasty (1389–1420)1357–1420
- Qara Hülegükhan of Chagatai Khanate1221–1252
- Qara Yuluk Uthman BegThe first king of Aq Qoyunlu (1378–1435)1350–1435
- Kara HaywardAmerican actressborn 1998
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kara, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Katarina
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Katheryn
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Leanna
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Candace
“a queen” · “one who is white and glowing”
>99% girls
Latoya
“one who is victorious”
>99% girls
Riane
“little ruler” · “the little ruler; little king”
1% boys · 99% girls
Sigourney
“a woman who conquers” · “a daring queen”
>99% girls
Caitrín
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls