Carla Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-lah //ˈkɑːr.lə//
Origin: Latin; Italian
Meaning: Latin: free woman; Italian: strong
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Carla has its roots in the Germanic name Karl, which means "free man." The name Karl evolved into various forms across different languages, including Charles in French and Carlo in Italian. The feminine form Carla emerged from these variations, particularly in the context of Italian and Spanish cultures, where it became a popular name for girls.
The transition of Carla into English can be traced through the influence of these languages, particularly during the Renaissance when classical names were revived and adapted into English usage. Historically, the name Carla has been associated with notable figures, such as Saint Charles Borromeo, a prominent Catholic saint from the 16th century, who contributed significantly to the Counter-Reformation.
His influence helped popularize the name Charles and its derivatives, including Carla, in various European cultures. Additionally, the name gained further recognition through royal connections, as Charles has been borne by numerous kings and princes throughout European history, reinforcing its noble connotations.
Culturally, the name Carla embodies themes of strength and independence, reflecting its etymological roots. It has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, often symbolizing resilience and empowerment.
The name has also inspired diminutive forms such as Carlie or Carly, which have been used affectionately in different cultures. Overall, Carla's historical and cultural significance is marked by its connections to freedom, nobility, and feminine strength, ensuring its enduring presence in various societies.
Famous people named Carla
In this section, you will find notable people named Carla. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carla who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Carla who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Carla Bruni is a singer and songwriter best known for Quelqu'un m'a dit, No Promises, and French Touch.
Carla Gugino is an actress best known for Sin City, Watchmen, and The Haunting of Hill House.
Carla Hall is a chef and television personality best known for The Chew, Top Chef, and her cookbooks.
Carla Morrison is a singer-songwriter best known for Déjenme Llorar, Amor Supremo, and her Grammy nominations.
Carla Fendi is a fashion designer best known for co-founding the Fendi fashion house and her contributions to luxury fashion.
Fictional characters named Carla
The following list of fictional characters named Carla is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Carla is a fictional character from the TV series Cheers. She is a sharp-tongued waitress known for her sarcastic humor and strong personality.
Carla is a fictional character from the animated series The Magic School Bus. She is a student in Ms. Frizzle's class who often participates in the educational adventures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carla, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carla. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Carla was first seen in the United States in 1890.
Carla has ranked as high as #145 nationally, which occurred in 1962, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Carla has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Carla is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carla was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Carla (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 46 | |
| CA | 37 | |
| FL | 22 | |
| NY | 18 | |
| AZ | 14 | |
| NC | 10 | |
| GA | 10 | |
| IL | 9 | |
| NJ | 8 | |
| OH | 7 | |
| PA | 6 | |
| TN | 6 | |
| VA | 5 | |
| SC | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carla.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 252 |
| 2023 | 267 |
| 2022 | 291 |
| 2021 | 220 |
| 2020 | 245 |
| 2019 | 252 |
| 2018 | 255 |
| 2017 | 279 |
| 2016 | 323 |
| 2015 | 318 |
| 2014 | 320 |
| 2013 | 300 |
| 2012 | 371 |
| 2011 | 368 |
| 2010 | 368 |
| 2009 | 440 |
| 2008 | 531 |
| 2007 | 579 |
| 2006 | 610 |
| 2005 | 585 |
| 2004 | 629 |
| 2003 | 648 |
| 2002 | 764 |
| 2001 | 674 |
| 2000 | 706 |
| 1999 | 679 |
| 1998 | 668 |
| 1997 | 725 |
| 1996 | 769 |
| 1995 | 764 |
| 1994 | 798 |
| 1993 | 882 |
| 1992 | 1,013 |
| 1991 | 1,009 |
| 1990 | 1,092 |
| 1989 | 1,067 |
| 1988 | 1,086 |
| 1987 | 1,198 |
| 1986 | 1,343 |
| 1985 | 1,397 |
| 1984 | 1,454 |
| 1983 | 1,528 |
| 1982 | 1,759 |
| 1981 | 1,789 |
| 1980 | 1,832 |
| 1979 | 1,970 |
| 1978 | 2,102 |
| 1977 | 2,099 |
| 1976 | 2,249 |
| 1975 | 2,315 |
| 1974 | 2,571 |
| 1973 | 2,686 |
| 1972 | 3,083 |
| 1971 | 3,556 |
| 1970 | 4,214 |
| 1969 | 3,964 |
| 1968 | 3,813 |
| 1967 | 4,185 |
| 1966 | 4,508 |
| 1965 | 4,781 |
| 1964 | 5,378 |
| 1963 | 5,264 |
| 1962 | 5,821 |
| 1961 | 5,817 |
| 1960 | 4,374 |
| 1959 | 3,935 |
| 1958 | 3,502 |
| 1957 | 3,470 |
| 1956 | 3,320 |
| 1955 | 3,066 |
| 1954 | 2,889 |
| 1953 | 2,760 |
| 1952 | 2,565 |
| 1951 | 2,172 |
| 1950 | 1,753 |
| 1949 | 1,498 |
| 1948 | 1,543 |
| 1947 | 1,569 |
| 1946 | 1,201 |
| 1945 | 862 |
| 1944 | 722 |
| 1943 | 642 |
| 1942 | 554 |
| 1941 | 455 |
| 1940 | 440 |
| 1939 | 347 |
| 1938 | 311 |
| 1937 | 256 |
| 1936 | 244 |
| 1935 | 214 |
| 1934 | 200 |
| 1933 | 175 |
| 1932 | 197 |
| 1931 | 165 |
| 1930 | 153 |
| 1929 | 124 |
| 1928 | 93 |
| 1927 | 82 |
| 1926 | 72 |
| 1925 | 39 |
| 1924 | 36 |
| 1923 | 30 |
| 1922 | 19 |
| 1921 | 29 |
| 1920 | 26 |
| 1919 | 16 |
| 1918 | 31 |
| 1917 | 20 |
| 1916 | 21 |
| 1915 | 23 |
| 1914 | 17 |
| 1913 | 13 |
| 1912 | 5 |
| 1911 | 17 |
| 1910 | 8 |
| 1909 | 8 |
| 1908 | 7 |
| 1906 | 10 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1902 | 6 |
| 1901 | 8 |
| 1900 | 5 |
| 1892 | 6 |
| 1890 | 5 |