UK girl's name
Karah
A feminine name of undetermined origin meaning "vivacious, lively, spirited".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Karah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Karah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4063, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 8 births.
This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 46 living people in the UK are called Karah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Karah ranked #4063 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 8 girls were registered as Karah.
- • Karah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2014.
- • About 46 living people in the UK are estimated to have Karah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4063
2017
Births in 2017
5
Latest year
Peak year
2005
8 births
Estimated living
46
2026
Meaning
What does Karah mean?
The name Karah is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language, deriving from the word "qara," which means "to read" or "to recite." The name is thought to have emerged during the medieval period in the Middle Eastern region, particularly in areas where Arabic was the predominant language.
In ancient times, the name Karah was associated with scholars and those versed in religious texts, as the act of reading and reciting scriptures was highly valued in Islamic culture. It was often given to individuals who possessed a deep knowledge of the Quran and other sacred texts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karah can be found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher, Al-Ghazali, who lived from 1058 to 1111 CE. He mentioned a contemporary scholar named Karah ibn Abdallah, who was renowned for his mastery of the Quran and Islamic jurisprudence.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Karah. One such individual was Karah al-Nuri (1213-1292 CE), a prominent Sufi mystic and poet from Baghdad. His poetic works, which often explored spiritual themes, were widely celebrated during his lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated to this day.
Another notable Karah was Karah al-Din al-Qunawi (1209-1274 CE), a influential Islamic philosopher and mystic who was a disciple of the renowned Sufi master, Ibn Arabi. Al-Qunawi's writings on metaphysics and spiritual enlightenment had a significant impact on the development of Islamic thought.
In the realm of science, Karah al-Dimashqi (1256-1327 CE) was a renowned astronomer and mathematician from Damascus. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy, including the development of advanced astronomical instruments and the compilation of astronomical tables.
During the Ottoman Empire, Karah Mustafa Pasha (1637-1683 CE) was a prominent military leader and Grand Vizier. He played a crucial role in the Ottoman campaigns against the Habsburg Empire and is remembered for his strategic military prowess.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Karah, a name that has been associated with scholarship, spirituality, and intellectual pursuits in the Islamic world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Karah over time
The chart below shows babies named Karah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Karah, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2017, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Karah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4491 | 14 | 3 |
| 2000s | #2918 | 14 | 2 |
| 1990s | #3795 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Karah is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Karah. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Karah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2014.
Across the UK
Karah in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#802 in 2014
5 years of NRS records, 15 total registered
Related
Names similar to Karah
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Karah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Karah in the UK right now?
In 2017, Karah was ranked #4063 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Karah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 8 babies registered as Karah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Karah?
A feminine name of undetermined origin meaning "vivacious, lively, spirited".
How many people are called Karah in the UK?
A total of 31 babies have been registered as Karah across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 15 more in Scotland.
Where is Karah most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Karah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #802 in 2014. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.