Kara (name) explained
Kara is both a given name and a surname with various, unrelated origins in various cultures. As an English name, it is a spelling variant of the Italian endearment cara, meaning beloved, or the Irish word cara, meaning friend, or a hypocorism for the name Caroline. It was popularized in the 20th century by the DC Comics superheroine Kara Zor-El.[1]
Notable people with the name include:
Given name
- Kara Kennedy Allen (1960–2011), professional board member and a television producer
- Kara Arslan (r. 1144–1174 CE), Turkic rulers
- Kara Bajema (born 1998), American volleyball player
- Kara Brock (born 1974), American actress
- Kara Mahmud Bushati (1749–1796), noble of the Bushati family
- Kara Cooney, American Egyptologist, archaeologist, professor
- Kara Crane (fl. 2006–present) American actress
- Kara David (born 1973), Filipina broadcast journalist and television host
- Kara DioGuardi (born 1970), American singer-songwriter
- Kara Drew, known as Cherry (American wrestler) (born 1975), American professional wrestler, manager, and former WWE Diva
- Kara Eaker (born 2002), American artistic gymnast
- Kara Edwards (born 1977), American voice actress
- Kara Fatma (1888–1955), Turkish heroine
- Kara Goldin (born 1967/68), American businesswoman
- Kara Goucher (born 1978), American long-distance runner
- Kara Grainger, Australian soul blues and roots rock singer-songwriter
- Kara Hayward (born 1998), American actress
- Kara Henderson (born 1973), American sports media personality
- Kara Hultgreen (1965–1994), American aviator
- Kara Karaev (1918–1982), Azerbaijani composer
- Kara Jackson,American poet, singer, and songwriter
- Kara Kennedy (1960–2011), American corporate director and television producer
- Kara Killmer (born 1988), American actress
- Kara Laricks, (born 1973) American fashion designer
- Kara Lawson (born 1981), American basketball coach and player
- Kara Lindsay (born 1985), American theatre actress
- Kara Lord (born 1988), Miss Guyana Universe 2011
- Kara Mbodj (born 1989), Senegalese footballer
- Kara Monaco (born 1983), Playboy model
- Kara Ahmed Pasha (died 1555), Ottoman statesman of Albanian origin
- Kara Mustafa Pasha (1634/5–1683), Ottoman military leader
- Kara Neumann case, in which parents of a sick child treated her with only prayer, resulting in the child's death in 2008
- Kara Nova (active since 2011), American pole acrobat
- Kara Yülük Osman, Turkish name of Qara Osman (before 1400–1435), Turkish ruler
- Kara Ro (born 1975), Canadian boxer
- Kara Ross (born 1966/1967), American jewelry designer
- Kara Saun
- Kara Scott, Canadian British TV personality, journalist and poker player
- Kara Wagner Sherer, American Episcopal priest
- Kara Swisher (born 1962), American journalist
- Kara Taitz (born 1981), American actress
- Kára Temple (born 1991), American beauty queen
- Kara Tointon (born 1983), English actress
- Kara Vallow, American television animation producer
- Kara Wai (born 1960), Hong Kong actress
- Kara Walker (born 1969), contemporary African-American artist
- Kara Wilson (born 1944), Scottish actress
- Kara Winger (born 1986), American track and field athlete
- Kara Wolters (born 1975), American basketball player
- Kara Zediker, American actress
Middle name
Surname
- Abir Kara (born 1983), Israeli businessman and politician
- Anksa Kara (born 1985), Cameroonian-born actress
- Ayoob Kara (born 1955), Druze Israeli politician
- Aytaç Kara (born 1993), Turkish footballer
- Burcu Kara (born 1980), Turkish actress
- Danae Kara (born 1953), Greek classical concert pianist
- Ercan Kara (born 1996), Austrian footballer
- Fatma Kara (born 1991), Turkish footballer
- Handan Kara (1939–2017), Turkish classical music singer
- İlayda Cansu Kara (born 2005), Turkish footballer
- Joseph Kara, also known as Mahari Kara, (c.1065 – c.1135), French Bible exegete
- Kai Kara-France (born 1993), New Zealand mixed martial artist
- Miriam Kara (born 1938), Israeli Olympic gymnast
- Nader Kara (born 1980), Libyan footballer
- Patricia Kara (born 1972), American entertainer
- Princess Kara (born 2000), Nigerian discus thrower
- Rasim Kara (born 1950), Turkish footballer
- Theodore Kara (1916–1944), American featherweight boxer
- Sergey Kara-Murza (born 1939), Russian chemist, historian, political philosopher and sociologist
- Vladimir Kara-Murza (born 1981), Russian politician
- Vladimir Kara-Murza Sr. (1959–2019), Russian journalist and TV host
- Anel Karabeg (born 1962), Bosnian footballer
- Osman Karabegović (1911-1996), Bosnian politician
Mythical or fictional characters
- Kára, a valkyrie in Norse mythology
- Supergirl's original Kryptonian name in the comics is Kara Zor-El, and in some of the more recent adaptations of the character she uses "Kara" in her civilian life as well:
- Kara Ben Nemsi, in the works of German writer Karl May
- Kara Milovy, Bond girl from The Living Daylights
- Kara Thrace, in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica franchise
- Kara, the Jungle Princess, an Exciting Comics character
- Kara Cupper, a child character in Shining Time Station
- Kara, one of the three android protagonists of the videogame
- Kara, a character Susan Strong's real name in the Adventure Time
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Cleveland Evans: Kara/Cara holds 'Supergirl' appeal . Evans . Cleveland Kent . 28 March 2021 . omaha.com . Omaha World Herald . 20 January 2024 .
