Karna is a male given name of Indian origin, particularly popular among Hindus due to its association with the epic Mahabharata. The name Karna means "ear" in Sanskrit, signifying a keen sense of hearing and implying wisdom and understanding. In Hindu mythology, Karna was a warrior hero who played a significant role in the Kurukshetra war. He was known for his extraordinary archery skills and courage, qualities that are often attributed to individuals named Karna today.
The name Karna appears to have had variable popularity over the decades, with peaks occurring around the late 1950s and early 1960s, reaching a high of 23 births in 1964. After that period, its usage began to decline steadily until it became quite rare from the mid-1970s onwards, with only five or fewer occurrences each year since then.