When was Kara most popular?

The name Kara reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.

What are the origins of the name Kara Ratliff?

The name Kara Ratliff combines two different traditions: the first name Kara has Irish roots, while the surname Ratliff originates from English.

Kara Ratliff — 64K & 30K bearers

Kara Ratliff is a name that combines Irish origins. The first name Kara is a feminine given name of Irish origin. Kara is both a given name and a surname with various, unrelated origins in various cultures. As an English name, it is usually considered a modern spelling variant of the Italian endearment cara, meaning beloved, or the Irish word cara, meaning friend. Neither Cara nor Kara has been in common use as a name in Italy or Ireland prior to the 20th century, though Kara had been in use as an independent name in the United States since at least the 1890s. It had occasionally been used as a hypocorism for the name Caroline. The surname Ratliff: Alfonso Ratliff (born 1956), American boxer Anthony Ratliff-Williams (born 1997), American football player Arthur M. Ratliff (1924–2007), American teacher, author, and businessman Ben Ratliff (born 1968), American journalist, music critic, and author Bennett Ratliff (born 1961), American politician Bill Ratliff (1936–2025), American politician Bo Ratliff (1933–2024), American singer Brett Ratliff (born 1985), American football player Carlos Ratliff (1910–1961), American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach Connor Ratliff, American actor and comedian David Ratliff (1912–1995), Am. Kara is a distinctive first name, carried by approximately 64K people globally, with the highest concentration in United States. The name Kara reached peak popularity in the 1970s, reflecting the naming trends of that era.

Etymology & Origin

First Name: Kara

Irish

Kara is both a given name and a surname with various, unrelated origins in various cultures. As an English name, it is usually considered a modern spelling variant of the Italian endearment cara, meaning beloved, or the Irish word cara, meaning friend. Neither Cara nor Kara has been in common use as a name in Italy or Ireland prior to the 20th century, though Kara had been in use as an independent name in the United States since at least the 1890s. It had occasionally been used as a hypocorism for the name Caroline.

Surname: Ratliff

English

Alfonso Ratliff (born 1956), American boxer Anthony Ratliff-Williams (born 1997), American football player Arthur M. Ratliff (1924–2007), American teacher, author, and businessman Ben Ratliff (born 1968), American journalist, music critic, and author Bennett Ratliff (born 1961), American politician Bill Ratliff (1936–2025), American politician Bo Ratliff (1933–2024), American singer Brett Ratliff (born 1985), American football player Carlos Ratliff (1910–1961), American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach Connor Ratliff, American actor and comedian David Ratliff (1912–1995), Am.

Geographic Distribution

The first name Kara is distributed across the globe, with the highest concentrations in the following countries:

United States 51%

United Kingdom 28%

Australia 13%

Canada 9%

Popularity Over Time

Popularity of the name Kara by decade, based on birth registration data:

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notable People Named Kara Ratliff

People listed above share this name. Listed for informational purposes only. Source: Wikipedia.

Numerology

According to Pythagorean numerology, each letter in a name carries a numerical value. Here are the key numbers for Kara Ratliff:

4

Expression Number

Stability and hard work. Represents practicality, reliability and dedication — someone who builds solid foundations.

3

Soul Urge Number

Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.

1

Personality Number

Leadership and independence. This number suggests a self-reliant, ambitious and pioneering personality that forges its own path.

Numerology is a cultural tradition for exploring symbolism in names. Results are for entertainment purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the origin of the first name Kara?: The first name Kara originates from Irish. Kara is both a given name and a surname with various, unrelated origins in various cultures. As an English name, it is usually considered a modern spelling variant of the Italian endearment cara, meaning beloved, or the Irish word cara, meaning friend. Neither Cara nor Kara has been in common use as a name in Italy or Ireland prior to the 20th century, though Kara had been in use as an independent name in the United States since at least the 1890s. It had occasionally been used as a hypocorism for the name Caroline.
When was Kara most popular?: The name Kara reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.
What is the origin of the surname Ratliff?: The surname Ratliff originates from English. Alfonso Ratliff (born 1956), American boxer Anthony Ratliff-Williams (born 1997), American football player Arthur M. Ratliff (1924–2007), American teacher, author, and businessman Ben Ratliff (born 1968), American journalist, music critic, and author Bennett Ratliff (born 1961), American politician Bill Ratliff (1936–2025), American politician Bo Ratliff (1933–2024), American singer Brett Ratliff (born 1985), American football player Carlos Ratliff (1910–1961), American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach Connor Ratliff, American actor and comedian David Ratliff (1912–1995), Am.
What are the origins of the name Kara Ratliff?: The name Kara Ratliff combines two different traditions: the first name Kara has Irish roots, while the surname Ratliff originates from English.