Kara
Every Kara since 1896 — 102,025 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kara
Kara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,075 in 2025 with 226 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1896, 102,025 American babies have been named Kara. Its peak came in 1991, when 3,281 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 226 | #1,075 | — | — |
| 2024 | 261 | #992 | — | — |
| 2023 | 283 | #939 | — | — |
| 2022 | 319 | #872 | — | — |
| 2021 | 373 | #765 | — | — |
| 2020 | 427 | #672 | — | — |
| 2019 | 530 | #577 | — | — |
| 2018 | 621 | #501 | — | — |
| 2017 | 610 | #516 | — | — |
| 2016 | 626 | #499 | — | — |
| 2015 | 624 | #507 | — | — |
| 2014 | 731 | #440 | — | — |
| 2013 | 834 | #374 | — | — |
| 2012 | 860 | #364 | — | — |
| 2011 | 938 | #339 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,113 | #292 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,391 | #238 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,338 | #257 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,171 | #289 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,192 | #282 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,230 | #267 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,285 | #249 | 8 | #8,537 |
| 2003 | 1,356 | #239 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,403 | #223 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,476 | #216 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,649 | #192 | — | — |
| 1995 | 2,148 | #152 | — | — |
| 1990 | 3,036 | #110 | 5 | #8,807 |
| 1985 | 2,811 | #98 | 13 | #3,512 |
| 1980 | 2,445 | #127 | 13 | #3,347 |
| 1975 | 2,358 | #118 | 14 | #2,832 |
| 1970 | 1,503 | #209 | 8 | #3,676 |
| 1965 | 798 | #319 | 6 | #3,720 |
| 1960 | 135 | #910 | — | — |
| 1955 | 83 | #1,100 | 5 | #4,134 |
| 1950 | 32 | #1,664 | — | — |
| 1945 | 19 | #1,959 | — | — |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,492 | — | — |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,308 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 6 | #3,628 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kara
- Kara Mustafa Pasha Politician · 1634–1683
- Kara Ahmed Pasha Politician · 1450–1555
- Kara DioGuardi Singer · b. 1970
- Kara Monaco Model · b. 1983
- Kara Hayward Actor · b. 1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Kara in 2025?
Kara ranked #1,075 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 226 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kara?
102,025 babies have been named Kara in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kara most popular?
Kara peaked in 1991, when 3,281 newborns received the name.
Is Kara a boy or girl name?
Kara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kara rising or falling?
Kara is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kara?
Well-known people named Kara include Kara Mustafa Pasha (politician), Kara Ahmed Pasha (politician), Kara DioGuardi (singer).