Girl · #3,150 in 2026

Karli

Karli is an English feminine given name that is an alternate form of Karlie and Carly as well as Danish and Swedish feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Karla and an alternate form of Karly. It is a Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Old Danish, Old Norse and Swedish masculine given name that is a diminutive form of Karl. Notable people known by this name include the following:

  • English
Current Rank
#3,150
Peak Rank
#559 (1994)
Total Babies
11K
5-Yr Trend
-39%
1961
First Year
2026
Last Year
1994
Peak Year
#559
Peak Rank
11K
Total Count
61
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Karli

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Karli is an English feminine given name that is an alternate form of Karlie and Carly as well as Danish and Swedish feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Karla and an alternate form of Karly. It is a Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Old Danish, Old Norse and Swedish masculine given name that is a diminutive form of Karl. Notable people known by this name include the following:

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English

The Story of Karli

Karli first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1961, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1994: 425 births, good for #559 nationwide. About 33% of every Karli on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Karli ranks #3,150 for baby girls with 51 births, falling sharply (-39%). All told, over 11K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Karli

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Karli. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Karli

Phonetically similar names — useful when Karli is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Karli

What does the name Karli mean?
Karli is an English feminine given name that is an alternate form of Karlie and Carly as well as Danish and Swedish feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Karla and an alternate form of Karly. It is a Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Old Danish, Old Norse and Swedish masculine given name that is a diminutive form of Karl. Notable people known by this name include the following:
What is the origin of the name Karli?
Karli has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Karli in 2026?
In 2026, Karli ranks #3,150 among girls' names in the U.S., with 51 babies given the name that year.
When was Karli most popular?
Karli reached its peak popularity in 1994, ranking #559 that year with 425 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Karli most popular?
Karli has historically been most popular in Idaho, Utah, North Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Karli.
Is Karli a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Karli is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Karli?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Karli include Ottilia, Jaidyn, Arie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Karli?
Common variants and related forms of Karli include Carla, Carlee, Carlene, Carley, Carli, Carlie. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Ottilia
Peak #559
👧
Jaidyn
Peak #559
👧
Arie
Peak #560
👧
Irena
Peak #560
👧
Vikki
Peak #560
👧
Carson
Peak #560
👧
Karly
Peak #558
👧
Aylani
Peak #560

About the name Karli

Karli is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1961 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Karli's peak popularity came in 1994 when it ranked #559. Use the chart and map above to compare Karli's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.