Karla
Meaning of Karla
Karla, the streamlined feminine counterpart of the Old High German Karl—ultimately cognate with the English Charles and rooted in the Proto-Germanic element *karlaz denoting a “free man”—carries a pedigree that bridges Germanic, Hispanic, and Anglophone naming traditions; consequently, its dominant phonetic profiles bifurcate into the Spanish-German KAHR-lah (/kaˈla/) and the Anglophone KAHR-luh (/kɑrˈlə/). Historically propagated through Continental royal houses yet popularized in North America during the mid-twentieth century, the name experienced sustained but moderate favor in the United States, cresting near the national Top 200 between 2003 and 2007 before entering a gradual decrescendo that positions it around rank 580 in recent Social Security records. Literary and cultural associations often point to strength tempered by approachability: twentieth-century figures such as Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s sister, the Czech writer Karla Erbová, and contemporary American athletes convey resilience, while the name’s semantic origin tacitly underscores autonomy. For parents seeking a succinct, internationally intelligible alternative to Carla or Caroline, Karla offers historical gravitas without the encumbrance of overt trendiness, balancing familiarity with a subtle continental flair.
Pronunciation
Spanish,German
- Pronunced as KAHR-lah (/kaˈla/)
English
- Pronunced as KAHR-luh (/kɑrˈlə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Karla
| Karla Faye Tucker was the first woman executed in Texas since 1863 for a pickaxe murder, sparking a widespread movement for clemency due to her gender and religious conversion. |
| Karla Burns was an American mezzo-soprano and actress who won a Drama Desk Award and made history as the first black person to receive the Laurence Olivier Award for her role in Show Boat. |
| Karla Diaz is a Mexican rhythmic gymnast who has won multiple Pan American medals. |
| Karla Souza - Karla Susana Olivares Souza is a Mexican actress who won the 2023 International Emmy for Best Actress for her role in "La Caída" and is known for her performances in "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Home Economics." |
| Karla Pretorius is a South African netball player who represents her national team as a Goal Defence and Wing Defence. |
| Karla Pollmann is the President of the University of Tübingen, previously Dean of Arts at the University of Bristol, specializing in Classical to Late Antiquity, patristics, and Augustine of Hippo's thought. |
| Karla DeVito is an American singer and actress. |
| Karla Bonoff is an American singer-songwriter renowned for her songwriting, with hits like "Home" and "Tell Me Why" covered by artists such as Bonnie Raitt and Wynonna Judd. |
| Karla Cubias is a Salvadoran singer best known as a semifinalist on the fourth season of Latin American Idol. |
| Karla Wheelock is a pioneering Mexican mountaineer who became the first Iberoamerican woman to conquer the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest. |
| Karla Monroig is a Puerto Rican actress, model, and television host. |
| Karla Avelar is a Salvadoran transgender rights activist who founded COMCAVIS Trans to combat discrimination and violence against trans women, particularly those living with HIV, in El Salvador. |
| Karla Kaun - Karla R. Kaun is a behavioral neurogeneticist and associate professor at Brown University who studies addiction and reward mechanisms using fruit flies. |
| Mexican TV host Karla Martínez is best known for hosting "Control" and currently co-hosts "Despierta América" on Univision. |
| Karla María Rabelo Estrada, a Mexican politician, served as a deputy from 2021 to 2024, initially with Morena before switching to Citizens' Movement in 2024. |
