Entry № 3389 · Sanskrit origin

Karma Karma — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ KAR-mah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Sanskrit
Meaning
"Action / destiny (Sanskrit-Buddhist foundational + Bhutanese)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Sanskrit)

A name that means "action / destiny (sanskrit-buddhist foundational + bhutanese)".

Karma is from the Sanskrit karman (कर्मन् — action, deed) — central foundational concept in Hindu + Buddhist + Jain + Sikh traditions referring to the foundational law of moral causation (every action produces a corresponding effect across lifetimes). A modern American baby name in the broader Sanskrit-Buddhist heritage aesthetic. Karma is one of the foundational Bhutanese + Tibetan feminine + unisex names — central to traditional Vajrayana Buddhist heritage. Notable bearers: Karma Phuntsho — foundational Bhutanese scholar + author of foundational The History of Bhutan (2013, Random House India); Karma Lekshe Tsomo — foundational Buddhist nun + co-founder of foundational Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women (1987) + University of San Diego professor. Foundational Bhutanese + Tibetan feminine name reflecting Vajrayana Buddhist + Sanskrit-Buddhist heritage.

Featured throughout Bhutanese heritage.

Action / destiny (Sanskrit-Buddhist). Foundational Bhutanese-Tibetan feminine + foundational Hindu-Buddhist-Jain-Sikh law of moral causation + Karma Phuntsho foundational History of Bhutan 2013 + Karma Lekshe Tsomo co-founder Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women 1987.

The name in its native script.

कर्म
Transliteration
Karman
Pronunciation
/ ˈkɑːr.mə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Karma stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Karma · last year
88 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Karmas before her.

Real people
Karma Phuntsho
Bhutanese scholar + History of Bhutan 2013.
born 1968
In fiction
Karma
Sanskrit-Buddhist action / destiny.

Names connected to Karma.

The number behind Karma.

4

The Builder

Karma reduces to four.

Why families chose this name.

"Sanskrit karma. Five letters. Karma."
Tenzin · Mother of one · Thimphu