Solid line = floor (spellings that unambiguously belong to the group). Shaded band up to the dashed edge = ceiling (the most it could reach if every ambiguous spelling counted here).
Kara is now well below its former popularity. All-time it's been given to 158,850 U.S. babies, the 1,101st most common name by sound today, peaking at 4,626 in 1991, with 402 in 2025.
By sound, Kara also includes the spellings Cara, Kera. Spellings sometimes heard the same way: Karah.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, “National data” baby-names files (1880–2025).