Carla

Often treated as a feminine form related to names from the root Karl, commonly glossed as “free person.”

Carla is a familiar feminine given name used in Italian contexts and widely beyond them. It reads as straightforward and established, with a clean two-syllable shape that works well across languages. In name references, Carla is commonly treated as the feminine counterpart within the Carlo/Carl family and linked back to the Germanic root Karl. That root is often glossed as “free man” or more generally “free person,” which is why you’ll see that meaning repeated in many summaries. In English, you’ll often hear KAR-luh, while in Italian and some other languages it can sound closer to KAR-la with a clearer final -a. A practical tip is that Carla has easy spelling and also supports natural short forms depending on personal preference.

Etymology: Used in Italian and other languages as a feminine form connected to Carlo/Carl and ultimately to the Germanic root Karl, often explained as meaning “free man/free person.”