Karly
Girl name · #2620 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karly? In official American birth records, Karly has been tracked continuously since 1972, giving it 53 years of documented American history.
Karly ranks #2620 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 66 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1329, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,273 girls born in 2025 was named Karly.
Babies named Karly per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 53-year story
Karly first appears in the Social Security records in 1972, when 10 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1993, when 427 girls were named Karly — good for #558 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karly in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karly is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karly will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karly is most common
State-level data for Karly is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Karly
Statistically, parents drawn to Karly tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Keely, Carly, Amberly, Karli, and Magaly.
KeelyCarlyAmberlyKarliMagalyKaleyKailaMarly
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karly | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66 | #2607 |
| 2024 | 69 | #2559 |
| 2023 | 69 | #2555 |
| 2022 | 80 | #2319 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2558 |
| 2020 | 85 | #2135 |
| 2019 | 105 | #1898 |
| 2018 | 119 | #1727 |
| 2017 | 152 | #1475 |
| 2016 | 177 | #1338 |
| 2015 | 178 | #1329 |
| 2014 | 177 | #1333 |
| 2013 | 253 | #988 |
| 2012 | 218 | #1128 |
| 2011 | 256 | #992 |
| 2010 | 288 | #907 |
| 2009 | 290 | #923 |
| 2008 | 342 | #830 |
| 2007 | 262 | #1012 |
| 2006 | 249 | #1026 |
| 2005 | 329 | #789 |
| 2004 | 341 | #764 |
| 2003 | 303 | #815 |
| 2002 | 297 | #790 |
| 2001 | 323 | #740 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karly?
In official American birth records, the name Karly first appeared in 1972 (over 53 years ago), when 10 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 53 years.
Is Karly a popular girl name?
Karly ranked #2620 among girls in 2025 with 66 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1329.
When was the name Karly most popular?
Karly peaked in 1993, when 427 American girls received the name (ranked #558 that year). Since 1993 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karly?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,273 newborn American girls was named Karly. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.