Cara
20th-century English coinage from Italian cara (“dear”) or Irish cara (“friend”).
Every Cara since 1882 — 53,367 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cara
Cara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,326 in 2025 with 168 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 53,367 American babies have been named Cara. Its peak came in 1985, when 1,472 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 168 | #1,326 | — | — |
| 2024 | 178 | #1,297 | — | — |
| 2023 | 182 | #1,264 | — | — |
| 2022 | 208 | #1,163 | — | — |
| 2021 | 248 | #1,025 | — | — |
| 2020 | 289 | #908 | — | — |
| 2019 | 252 | #1,021 | — | — |
| 2018 | 310 | #874 | — | — |
| 2017 | 318 | #861 | — | — |
| 2016 | 352 | #808 | — | — |
| 2015 | 389 | #730 | — | — |
| 2014 | 421 | #676 | — | — |
| 2013 | 451 | #620 | — | — |
| 2012 | 404 | #698 | — | — |
| 2011 | 473 | #609 | — | — |
| 2010 | 460 | #643 | — | — |
| 2009 | 663 | #468 | — | — |
| 2008 | 681 | #464 | — | — |
| 2007 | 579 | #539 | — | — |
| 2006 | 531 | #554 | — | — |
| 2005 | 522 | #550 | — | — |
| 2004 | 570 | #508 | — | — |
| 2003 | 568 | #503 | — | — |
| 2002 | 584 | #481 | — | — |
| 2001 | 604 | #459 | — | — |
| 2000 | 732 | #393 | — | — |
| 1995 | 900 | #309 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,212 | #234 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1,465 | #184 | 7 | #5,218 |
| 1980 | 1,276 | #203 | — | — |
| 1975 | 1,192 | #207 | — | — |
| 1970 | 716 | #351 | — | — |
| 1965 | 987 | #274 | — | — |
| 1960 | 234 | #663 | — | — |
| 1955 | 154 | #773 | — | — |
| 1950 | 70 | #1,101 | — | — |
| 1945 | 46 | #1,157 | — | — |
| 1940 | 36 | #1,221 | — | — |
| 1935 | 27 | #1,422 | — | — |
| 1930 | 28 | #1,465 | — | — |
| 1925 | 27 | #1,614 | — | — |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,085 | — | — |
| 1915 | 30 | #1,289 | — | — |
| 1910 | 19 | #1,004 | — | — |
| 1905 | 7 | #1,560 | — | — |
| 1900 | 17 | #923 | — | — |
| 1895 | 12 | #937 | — | — |
| 1890 | 7 | #1,113 | — | — |
| 1885 | 12 | #631 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cara
- Cara Delevingne Model · b. 1992
- Cara Buono Actor · b. 1974
- Cara Williams Actor · b. 1925
- Cara Black Tennis player · b. 1979
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cara mean?
20th-century English coinage from Italian cara (“dear”) or Irish cara (“friend”).
How popular is the name Cara in 2025?
Cara ranked #1,326 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 168 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cara?
53,367 babies have been named Cara in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cara most popular?
Cara peaked in 1985, when 1,472 newborns received the name.
Is Cara a boy or girl name?
Cara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cara rising or falling?
Cara is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cara?
Well-known people named Cara include Cara Delevingne (model), Cara Buono (actor), Cara Williams (actor).