Cara
Italian cara, meaning dear or beloved, supplies this name; the Irish word cara, friend, is also cited. Both senses have carried it into English use.
Cara in 2025
Cara was given to 168 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,485th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 19,734 babies born.
The history of Cara
Cara reached its highest point in 1985, when 1,472 babies were given the name, ranking 362nd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 358th, in 1977.
Across the 144 years of records since 1882, 53,367 babies have been named Cara. Half of them were born before 1985, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Cara by decade
| Decade | Babies named Cara | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 63 | 1,158 |
| 1890s | 91 | 1,340 |
| 1900s | 113 | 1,487 |
| 1910s | 219 | 1,632 |
| 1920s | 281 | 2,138 |
| 1930s | 305 | 1,928 |
| 1940s | 492 | 1,807 |
| 1950s | 1,291 | 1,231 |
| 1960s | 5,779 | 513 |
| 1970s | 10,430 | 358 |
| 1980s | 13,317 | 362 |
| 1990s | 9,849 | 464 |
| 2000s | 6,034 | 751 |
| 2010s | 3,830 | 1,150 |
| 2020s | 1,273 | 1,690 |
Where Cara is heading
Cara has fallen 57% over the past decade, from 389 babies in 2015 to 168 in 2025.
Names like Cara
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Cara.