Cara
Girl name · #1327 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
Cara ranks #1327 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 168 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #728, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,714 girls born in 2025 was named Cara.
Babies named Cara per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 143-year story
Cara first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1985, when 1,465 girls were named Cara — good for #184 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cara in class?
Cara scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Cara will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Caras were CA (21), NY (18), NJ (10), OH (8), PA (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Cara
Statistically, parents drawn to Cara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kara, Dara, Tara, Erica, and Kendra.
KaraDaraTaraEricaKendraTerraLorenaErika
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 168 | #1326 |
| 2024 | 178 | #1296 |
| 2023 | 182 | #1264 |
| 2022 | 208 | #1163 |
| 2021 | 248 | #1024 |
| 2020 | 289 | #907 |
| 2019 | 252 | #1020 |
| 2018 | 310 | #874 |
| 2017 | 318 | #860 |
| 2016 | 352 | #808 |
| 2015 | 389 | #728 |
| 2014 | 421 | #675 |
| 2013 | 451 | #620 |
| 2012 | 404 | #695 |
| 2011 | 473 | #609 |
| 2010 | 460 | #642 |
| 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 | #458 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cara a popular girl name?
Cara ranked #1327 among girls in 2025 with 168 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #728.
When was the name Cara most popular?
Cara peaked in 1985, when 1,465 American girls received the name (ranked #184 that year). Since 1985 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,714 newborn American girls was named Cara. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.