Cara Girl

Popularity: #780 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-uh //ˈkɛərə//

Origin: Irish; Latin

Meaning: Irish: 'friend'; Latin: 'beloved'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Cara has its roots in the Latin word "cara," which translates to "dear" or "beloved." This Latin term is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ker-, meaning "to love" or "to care for." The name entered the English language through the influence of Latin during the Roman occupation of Britain and later through the Renaissance, when classical texts were rediscovered and Latin became a prominent scholarly language. As a result, Cara has been adopted in various forms across different cultures, often retaining its affectionate connotation.

Historically, the name Cara has been associated with several notable figures and cultural references. In the early Christian tradition, the name was sometimes linked to saints and martyrs, although specific historical records are sparse.

The name appears in various forms in literature and art throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal. For instance, it has been used in poetry and prose to evoke themes of love and tenderness, resonating with the original Latin meaning.

The name also appears in various translations of religious texts, contributing to its presence in Christian communities. Culturally, Cara has been embraced in different regions, often symbolizing affection and warmth.

In Irish, Cara means "friend," which further emphasizes the name's associations with love and companionship. This dual significance in both Latin and Irish contexts has helped the name maintain its relevance across cultures.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Carrie" have emerged, showcasing the name's adaptability and continued resonance in various linguistic traditions. Overall, Cara embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage and cultural significance, reflecting themes of love and friendship throughout its history.

Famous people named Cara

In this section, you will find notable people named Cara. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cara who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Cara who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Cara Delevingne is a model and actress best known for Paper Towns, Suicide Squad, and Carnival Row.

Cara Buono is an actress best known for Stranger Things, The Sopranos, and Let Me In.

Cara Mia Way is a singer and songwriter best known for her work in the music industry.

Fictional characters named Cara

The following list of fictional characters named Cara is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Cara is a fictional character from the book series The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. She is a Confessor with the ability to compel others to tell the truth and is a key ally to the protagonist, Richard Cypher.

Cara Dune is a fictional character from the TV series The Mandalorian. She is a former Shock Trooper who becomes a fierce ally to the titular character, Din Djarin.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cara, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cara. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Cara was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Cara has ranked as high as #362 nationally, which occurred in 1985, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Cara has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Cara is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cara was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cara.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 168 0 168
2024 178 0 178
2023 182 0 182
2022 208 0 208
2021 248 0 248
2020 289 0 289
2019 252 0 252
2018 310 0 310
2017 318 0 318
2016 352 0 352
2015 389 0 389
2014 421 0 421
2013 451 0 451
2012 404 0 404
2011 473 0 473
2010 460 0 460
2009 663 0 663
2008 681 0 681
2007 579 0 579
2006 531 0 531
2005 522 0 522
2004 570 0 570
2003 568 0 568
2002 584 0 584
2001 604 0 604
2000 732 0 732
1999 728 0 728
1998 807 0 807
1997 819 0 819
1996 862 0 862
1995 900 0 900
1994 1,026 0 1,026
1993 1,106 0 1,106
1992 1,130 5 1,125
1991 1,259 0 1,259
1990 1,212 0 1,212
1989 1,284 9 1,275
1988 1,273 5 1,268
1987 1,240 8 1,232
1986 1,338 0 1,338
1985 1,472 7 1,465
1984 1,440 0 1,440
1983 1,394 0 1,394
1982 1,334 6 1,328
1981 1,266 5 1,261
1980 1,276 0 1,276
1979 1,254 7 1,247
1978 1,346 0 1,346
1977 1,416 5 1,411
1976 1,108 5 1,103
1975 1,192 0 1,192
1974 1,074 0 1,074
1973 847 0 847
1972 722 0 722
1971 755 0 755
1970 716 0 716
1969 636 0 636
1968 508 0 508
1967 604 0 604
1966 677 0 677
1965 987 0 987
1964 663 0 663
1963 682 0 682
1962 448 0 448
1961 340 0 340
1960 234 0 234
1959 200 0 200
1958 134 0 134
1957 165 0 165
1956 172 0 172
1955 154 0 154
1954 124 0 124
1953 101 0 101
1952 87 0 87
1951 84 0 84
1950 70 0 70
1949 72 0 72
1948 51 0 51
1947 53 0 53
1946 47 0 47
1945 46 0 46
1944 41 0 41
1943 54 0 54
1942 48 0 48
1941 44 0 44
1940 36 0 36
1939 26 0 26
1938 38 0 38
1937 45 0 45
1936 39 0 39
1935 27 0 27
1934 37 0 37
1933 22 0 22
1932 28 0 28
1931 15 0 15
1930 28 0 28
1929 30 0 30
1928 20 0 20
1927 25 0 25
1926 43 0 43
1925 27 0 27
1924 30 0 30
1923 33 0 33
1922 34 0 34
1921 21 0 21
1920 18 0 18
1919 19 0 19
1918 33 0 33
1917 23 0 23
1916 27 0 27
1915 30 0 30
1914 19 0 19
1913 21 0 21
1912 16 0 16
1911 12 0 12
1910 19 0 19
1909 12 0 12
1908 12 0 12
1907 16 0 16
1906 11 0 11
1905 7 0 7
1904 11 0 11
1903 9 0 9
1902 11 0 11
1901 7 0 7
1900 17 0 17
1899 11 0 11
1898 16 0 16
1897 11 0 11
1896 8 0 8
1895 12 0 12
1894 8 0 8
1892 7 0 7
1891 11 0 11
1890 7 0 7
1889 7 0 7
1888 9 0 9
1887 10 0 10
1886 6 0 6
1885 12 0 12
1884 8 0 8
1883 6 0 6
1882 5 0 5

Top States for Cara (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 20
16%
NY 13
10%
TX 11
9%
PA 10
8%
MA 9
7%
OH 9
7%
FL 8
6%
NJ 7
6%
GA 7
6%
NC 6
5%
IL 6
5%
MI 5
4%
CO 5
4%
NV 5
4%
CT 5
4%