Kara

Updated: October 4, 2023 by Olivia Mittak

Kara is a captivating baby girl name. Sublime in its depth and simplicity, the universality of the name has delighted cultures across the globe. Kara Leary is a central character in the Sims 3 video game, Kara Thrace is the main character on television's Battlestar Galactica, and Kara Zor-El is a DC Comics superheroine. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.

Meaning and Origin of the Name Kara:

Kara has several unique etymologies. The first origin is a variation of the Latin word cārus (meaning “beloved,” “darling” or “dear”). This origin has produced pet names like Karina, a popular diminutive in countries like Russia. In Romance languages, the word can also mean “face” (in reference to the Old Latin word for “head”).

For Irish speakers, Kara is a spelling variation of the word for “friend”. In the Turkish language, Kåra means “dark.” Some scholars have linked the Turkish name to the Gaelic name Kiara (or Ciara) since both names have the same meaning. In Old Norse, Kára was a Valkyrie whose name meant “stormy” (derived from the word afkárr) or “curly” (derived from the Old Norse kárr). Finally, the Greek translation of Kara is “pure”. It is related to longer names like Katherine and Katrina.

Nicknames for the Name Kara:

Kara is a short name, so you may not feel that you need a nickname for it. If you want one, though, there are some great options. We've compiled a list of nicknames for Kara, to take the hard work out of it for you!

Kar
Kari
Karie
Karey
Kay
Kaye
Kar-Kar
Ra
K.R.
RaRa
Kars
Kare Bear
Karaoke
Karita
KK
Kare

Symbolism of the Name Kara:

Kara has several etymologies that give the name its lively history. One of the most symbolic uses of the name Kara was the Turkish Kåra (meaning “dark”). During the Ottoman Empire, royal officials often adopted Kåra as a title or byname to mean “courageous” or “undefeated” in battle and administrative rule. In Norse mythology, Kára was often a feminine symbol of reincarnation.

Style of the Name Kara:

Classic

Gender of the Name Kara:

Kara is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the Name Kara:

KAHR-ah

Number of Syllables in the Name Kara:

Two

Emotion Evoked From the Name Kara:

The name Kara evokes feelings of compassion and calm.

Alternative Spellings for the Name Kara:

Cara
Kára
Karah
Karrah
Karaugh

Popularity of the Name Kara:

According to the Social Security Administration index, Kara was the 874th most popular baby name for girls in 2022. The name has been declining in popularity for some time.