Karma
Girl name · #1706 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karma? In official American birth records, Karma has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
Karma is currently the #1706 girl name in the United States — 120 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1175, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,000 girls born in 2025 was named Karma.
The 110-year story
Karma first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 375 girls were named Karma — good for #760 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.
Babies named Karma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karma will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karma is most common
State-level data for Karma 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 Karma
Statistically, parents drawn to Karma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Naima, Kamiya, Kavya, Amiya, and Kalia.
NaimaKamiyaKavyaAmiyaKaliaKylahKamyaKamaya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 120 | #1703 |
| 2024 | 150 | #1457 |
| 2023 | 199 | #1202 |
| 2022 | 177 | #1325 |
| 2021 | 174 | #1301 |
| 2020 | 196 | #1183 |
| 2019 | 194 | #1203 |
| 2018 | 191 | #1223 |
| 2017 | 210 | #1172 |
| 2016 | 204 | #1210 |
| 2015 | 214 | #1175 |
| 2014 | 254 | #1026 |
| 2013 | 263 | #959 |
| 2012 | 291 | #901 |
| 2011 | 258 | #988 |
| 2010 | 297 | #892 |
| 2009 | 375 | #760 |
| 2008 | 333 | #845 |
| 2007 | 325 | #862 |
| 2006 | 313 | #855 |
| 2005 | 298 | #847 |
| 2004 | 94 | #1972 |
| 2003 | 58 | #2707 |
| 2002 | 61 | #2554 |
| 2001 | 71 | #2259 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karma?
In official American birth records, the name Karma first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Karma a popular girl name?
Karma ranked #1706 among girls in 2025 with 120 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1175.
When was the name Karma most popular?
Karma peaked in 2009, when 375 American girls received the name (ranked #760 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,000 newborn American girls was named Karma. 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.