Declining since 2003, #799 for girls today.
Popularity of Karla since 1915
Babies named Karla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 26 |
| 1920s | 65 |
| 1930s | 536 |
| 1940s | 3,102 |
| 1950s | 11,462 |
| 1960s | 17,716 |
| 1970s | 11,367 |
| 1980s | 9,360 |
| 1990s | 12,873 |
| 2000s | 16,145 |
| 2010s | 6,555 |
| 2020s | 2,379 |
Meaning & origin
Karla has been in use in the United States since at least 1915, when it first appeared in Social Security records. The name reached its peak popularity in 1964, when it was ranked highest among baby girls. Since 2003, its usage has been on a slow but steady decline, falling to rank 799 in 2025. Despite the overall downturn, Karla remains relatively common in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland, where it ranks among the top names. With a rate of about 1 in 4,727 newborns, Karla is a name that carries a classic Germanic heritage and cross-cultural appeal, favored in Spanish- and Italian-speaking communities as well.
Karla is a feminine given name ultimately derived from the Germanic word 'karl', meaning 'free man'. It is the feminine equivalent of Charles and Carl. The name has been used across Northern and Central Europe for centuries, with widespread adoption in Italy, Spain, and Scandinavia. In English-speaking countries, it gained popularity in the 20th century, often as a variant of Carla.
Where Karla is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Karla” around the world
Where Karla lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Karli, Karly, Lala
Sibling names for Karla
Names that share Karla's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Karla
Names whose popularity has moved with Karla's over the last 50 years.
