Karla Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Karla is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Karla?
Karla is spelled K-A-R-L-A. The name has 5 letters.
Karla at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Derived from the masculine name Karl, meaning “free man” or “man” in Old Germanic languages.
- Origin
- Karla is commonly associated with Germanic origins as the feminine form of Karl, which is related to the concept of a free man.
- Pronunciation
- KAR-lah · 2 syllables
Karla Popularity in 2025
Rank#799
Recorded Births340
- Girls usage fell 67 places to #799 and recorded 45 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Karla Mean?
Derived from the masculine name Karl, meaning “free man” or “man” in Old Germanic languages.
Origin: Karla is commonly associated with Germanic origins as the feminine form of Karl, which is related to the concept of a free man.
How Do You Pronounce Karla?
PronunciationKAR-lah
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Karla?
- History
- The name Karla has been used in various European cultures and appears as a feminine variant of Karl in historical records, although specific early historical usage details are limited.
Karla Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2004 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 340 | #799 |
| 2024 | Girls | 385 | #732 |
| 2023 | Girls | 398 | #710 |
| 2022 | Girls | 425 | #689 |
| 2021 | Girls | 411 | #701 |
| 2020 | Girls | 420 | #676 |
| 2019 | Girls | 427 | #680 |
| 2018 | Girls | 476 | #628 |
| 2017 | Girls | 553 | #557 |
| 2016 | Girls | 554 | #561 |
| 2015 | Girls | 617 | #510 |
| 2014 | Girls | 621 | #503 |
| 2013 | Girls | 647 | #475 |
| 2012 | Girls | 761 | #412 |
| 2011 | Girls | 910 | #352 |
| 2010 | Girls | 989 | #324 |
| 2009 | Girls | 1,116 | #298 |
| 2009 | Boys | 6 | #10,994 |
| 2008 | Girls | 1,421 | #243 |
| 2007 | Girls | 1,581 | #219 |
| 2006 | Girls | 1,656 | #208 |
| 2006 | Boys | 6 | #10,662 |
| 2005 | Girls | 1,716 | #203 |
| 2004 | Girls | 1,749 | #196 |
When Was Karla Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1964 · Girls
2,060 recorded births
National rank #182
1963 · Girls
2,007 recorded births
National rank #189
1962 · Girls
1,947 recorded births
National rank #192
1961 · Girls
1,871 recorded births
National rank #195
Where Karla Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AZ | #477 | 14 |
| CO | #497 | 11 |
| FL | #555 | 32 |
| TX | #559 | 56 |
| MD | #600 | 8 |
| GA | #611 | 17 |
| OR | #619 | 5 |
| CA | #635 | 49 |