Ketra

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Ketra

Pronounced KET-ruh /ˈkɛt.rə/Medium

Meaning: Ketra reads most plausibly as a short form or respelling of Keturah, the Hebrew name meaning 'incense' or 'fragrance,' borne by a wife of Abraham, though it may also be a modern coinage.Low

In 30 seconds: Ketra is a modern girl's name, likely short for Keturah, Hebrew 'incense,' or a coinage (said KET-ruh).

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Origin LowHebrew, American

MeaningKetra reads most plausibly as a short form or respelling of Keturah, the Hebrew name meaning 'incense' or 'fragrance,' borne by a wife of Abraham, though it may also be a modern coinage.

U.S. rank (1999)#15654 ↘ Falling

1999 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1975

Total births (all-time)≈ 255

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Ketra is best explained as a short form or respelling of Keturah, Hebrew for 'incense,' the name of a wife of Abraham, though it also works as a modern coinage. The Keturah link supplies its most credible meaning, which we note.

It was never common in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year around its peak in the mid nineteen-seventies, and it stayed rare. A girl named Ketra then is in her fifties today.

Did you know? Ketra can be read as a trimmed Keturah, the biblical 'incense' name, giving a crisp two-beat name with an ancient root behind it.

Overall data confidence 35%

References - Ketra — Likely short form of Keturah (Hebrew 'incense'); or coinage; uncertain

Variations

KeturahKetaraKettra

Nicknames

KetKettie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ketra…

Keturah— the likely parent name

Kendra— a like short Ke- girl's name

Petra— a similar crisp -tra name

Sondra— another two-beat vintage name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ketra mean?

It is most likely a short form of Keturah, Hebrew for 'incense,' though it may be a modern coinage.

How do you pronounce Ketra?

It is said KET-ruh /ˈkɛt.rə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ketra a boy or girl name?

Ketra is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Ketra?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year around its peak in the mid nineteen-seventies.