Carla

Meaning of Carla

It means 'free woman' or 'strong woman'. It's the feminine form of Carl or Charles.

Carla has Germanic roots — browse every Germanic baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Carla

After ranking as high as #386 in 2002, Carla has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Carla

• Carla Bruni
  French-Italian singer, model, former First Lady
• Carla Gugino
  American actress, Spy Kids star
• Carla Hall
  Celebrity chef, TV personality
• Carla Esparza
  MMA fighter, former UFC champion
• Carla Suárez Navarro
  Spanish professional tennis player

More Germanic names

Questions about the name Carla

What does the name Carla mean?

Carla means it means 'free woman' or 'strong woman'. it's the feminine form of carl or charles, and it comes from Germanic origins.

Is Carla a boy's or a girl's name?

Carla is most commonly used as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Carla?

Carla did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Carla most popular?

Carla peaked at #386 in 2002.