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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kamara

Kamara

♀ Girl

Pronounced kə-MAR-ə /kəˈmɑr.ə/High

Meaning: Linked to Swahili-Arabic qamar, 'moon' (as in Kamaria); also a widespread West African (Mandinka) surnameLow

In 30 seconds: A name with two African passports: Kamara echoes Swahili-Arabic 'moon' and serves as one of West Africa's most common surnames. Lunar on one map, family on another.
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Origin MediumSwahili, Arabic, West African
MeaningLinked to Swahili-Arabic qamar, 'moon' (as in Kamaria); also a widespread West African (Mandinka) surname
U.S. rank (2025)#3943 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births37 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,066

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200719652025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kamara has converging roots: as a girls' name it relates to the moon — Swahili-Arabic qamar, behind Kamaria — while as a West African (especially Mandinka) surname it is ubiquitous across the region, carried to the Americas through the diaspora. The two streams meet at the same euphonious spelling.

In U.S. records it appears for girls as a melodic given name and reflects African heritage. Rare, lunar, and diaspora-deep.

Did you know? Kamara is so common a surname across Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia that it crowds European football rosters — a Mandinka name now scoring goals worldwide.
Overall data confidence 62%
Behind the Name — Kamaria — moon connection

Variations

KamariaCamaraKamira

Nicknames

KamMara

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kamara…

Kamaria— the fuller Swahili moon name
Amara— a fellow African-rooted melodic favorite
Tamara— the near-rhyme classic
Kiara— the companion vowel-bright modern name

Explore names like Kamara

By themeswahiliafrican
By meaningMoon

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kamara mean?

Kamara is linked to Swahili-Arabic qamar, 'moon', and is also a common West African (Mandinka) surname.

How do you pronounce Kamara?

It's said kə-MAR-ə /kəˈmɑr.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kamara a boy or girl name?

As a given name Kamara is used mainly for girls; this page covers that use.

How popular is Kamara?

Kamara is a rare given name in the U.S.

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