Cara
Girl name · #1327 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cara? In official American birth records, Cara has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cara is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Cara is most common in NJ (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Cara is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Cara?
In official American birth records, the name Cara first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.