Carla Girl

Popularity: #726 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

ClaraMilaLilaNinaSaraTara

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.

CarmenCeciliaCarinaCassandraCeliaCoraKiraKarla

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Carla was first seen in the United States in 1890.

Carla has ranked as high as #148 nationally, which occurred in 1961, 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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 223 0 223
2024 254 0 254
2023 267 0 267
2022 291 0 291
2021 221 0 221
2020 245 0 245
2019 253 0 253
2018 255 0 255
2017 279 0 279
2016 323 0 323
2015 318 0 318
2014 320 0 320
2013 300 0 300
2012 371 0 371
2011 368 0 368
2010 368 0 368
2009 440 0 440
2008 531 0 531
2007 579 0 579
2006 610 0 610
2005 585 0 585
2004 629 0 629
2003 648 0 648
2002 764 0 764
2001 674 0 674
2000 707 0 707
1999 679 0 679
1998 668 0 668
1997 725 0 725
1996 769 0 769
1995 769 5 764
1994 804 6 798
1993 882 0 882
1992 1,021 7 1,014
1991 1,019 10 1,009
1990 1,099 7 1,092
1989 1,076 9 1,067
1988 1,086 0 1,086
1987 1,208 10 1,198
1986 1,355 11 1,344
1985 1,408 11 1,397
1984 1,466 12 1,454
1983 1,541 13 1,528
1982 1,771 12 1,759
1981 1,803 14 1,789
1980 1,845 12 1,833
1979 1,978 9 1,969
1978 2,109 7 2,102
1977 2,105 8 2,097
1976 2,262 13 2,249
1975 2,324 10 2,314
1974 2,581 10 2,571
1973 2,694 8 2,686
1972 3,090 7 3,083
1971 3,566 10 3,556
1970 4,230 16 4,214
1969 3,970 6 3,964
1968 3,828 15 3,813
1967 4,204 19 4,185
1966 4,525 17 4,508
1965 4,795 14 4,781
1964 5,386 8 5,378
1963 5,276 12 5,264
1962 5,828 8 5,820
1961 5,829 12 5,817
1960 4,383 8 4,375
1959 3,942 7 3,935
1958 3,510 8 3,502
1957 3,478 8 3,470
1956 3,327 7 3,320
1955 3,073 7 3,066
1954 2,898 9 2,889
1953 2,767 7 2,760
1952 2,570 5 2,565
1951 2,172 0 2,172
1950 1,753 0 1,753
1949 1,498 0 1,498
1948 1,543 0 1,543
1947 1,574 5 1,569
1946 1,207 6 1,201
1945 862 0 862
1944 722 0 722
1943 642 0 642
1942 554 0 554
1941 455 0 455
1940 440 0 440
1939 347 0 347
1938 311 0 311
1937 256 0 256
1936 244 0 244
1935 214 0 214
1934 200 0 200
1933 175 0 175
1932 197 0 197
1931 165 0 165
1930 153 0 153
1929 124 0 124
1928 93 0 93
1927 82 0 82
1926 72 0 72
1925 39 0 39
1924 36 0 36
1923 30 0 30
1922 19 0 19
1921 29 0 29
1920 26 0 26
1919 16 0 16
1918 31 0 31
1917 20 0 20
1916 21 0 21
1915 23 0 23
1914 17 0 17
1913 13 0 13
1912 5 0 5
1911 17 0 17
1910 8 0 8
1909 8 0 8
1908 7 0 7
1906 10 0 10
1905 5 0 5
1903 5 0 5
1902 6 0 6
1901 8 0 8
1900 5 0 5
1892 6 0 6
1890 5 0 5

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 46
23%
CA 37
18%
FL 22
11%
NY 18
9%
AZ 14
7%
GA 10
5%
NC 10
5%
IL 9
4%
NJ 8
4%
OH 7
3%
PA 6
3%
TN 6
3%
SC 5
2%
VA 5
2%