Kara
Girl name · #1073 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
Kara ranks #1073 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 226 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #507, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,965 girls born in 2025 was named Kara.
Babies named Kara per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 129-year story
Kara first appears in the Social Security records in 1896, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 3,281 girls were named Kara — good for #106 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kara in class?
Kara scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kara will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Karas were CA (25), TX (21), OH (15), FL (12), GA (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kara
Statistically, parents drawn to Kara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cara, Dara, Kendra, Tara, and Erika.
CaraDaraKendraTaraErikaTiaraSilviaKacey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 226 | #1071 |
| 2024 | 261 | #990 |
| 2023 | 283 | #936 |
| 2022 | 319 | #869 |
| 2021 | 373 | #764 |
| 2020 | 427 | #669 |
| 2019 | 530 | #576 |
| 2018 | 621 | #500 |
| 2017 | 610 | #515 |
| 2016 | 626 | #499 |
| 2015 | 624 | #507 |
| 2014 | 731 | #439 |
| 2013 | 834 | #374 |
| 2012 | 860 | #363 |
| 2011 | 938 | #339 |
| 2010 | 1,113 | #292 |
| 2009 | 1,391 | #238 |
| 2008 | 1,338 | #257 |
| 2007 | 1,171 | #288 |
| 2006 | 1,192 | #282 |
| 2005 | 1,230 | #267 |
| 2004 | 1,285 | #249 |
| 2003 | 1,356 | #239 |
| 2002 | 1,403 | #223 |
| 2001 | 1,476 | #216 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kara a popular girl name?
Kara ranked #1073 among girls in 2025 with 226 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #507.
When was the name Kara most popular?
Kara peaked in 1991, when 3,281 American girls received the name (ranked #106 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,965 newborn American girls was named Kara. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.