Karis is an English spelling of the Greek charis, which means "grace" or "kindness", the word for divine grace in the New Testament; it also overlaps with the Welsh Carys, from caru, to love. The name appeals to Christian families looking for a less common way to say Grace. In the United States Karis entered the top 1000 in 2004, peaked at number 861 in 2012 and stands at number 2030 in 2025 with 94 births.