Cara

#1,326 for girls in 2025, 168 births · Last seen for boys in 1992 at #8,435
Given to girls 99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1985 · 1,465 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
53,305
since 1882

Cara over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Cara has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201970peak #184, 1985girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,326168
2024#1,296178
2023#1,264182
2022#1,163208
2021#1,024248
2020#907289
2019#1,020252
2018#874310
2017#860318
2016#808352
2015#728389
2014#675421
2013#620451
2012#695404
2011#609473
2010#642460
2009#468663
2008#464681
2007#539579
2006#554531
2005#550522
2004#508570
2003#503568
2002#481584
2001#458604
2000#393732
1999#386728
1998#359807
1997#343819
1996#324862
1995#308900
1994#2731,026
1993#2511,106
1992#2481,125#8,4355
1991#2281,259
1990#2341,212
1989#2111,275#5,1659
1988#2071,268#7,2705
1987#2131,232#4,9688
1986#1941,338
1985#1841,465#5,1477
1984#1911,440
1983#1911,394
1982#2041,328#5,6196
1981#2091,261#6,2625
1980#2031,276
1979#2111,247#4,8427
1978#1911,346
1977#1891,411#5,8455
1976#2191,103#5,5875
1975#2071,192
1974#2351,074
1973#286847
1972#324722
1971#337755
1970#351716
1969#367636
1968#414508
1967#365604
1966#347677
1965#274987
1964#366663
1963#368682
1962#455448
1961#531340
1960#663234
1959#706200
1958#878134
1957#782165
1956#736172
1955#773154
1954#847124
1953#940101
1952#1,00887
1951#1,01484
1950#1,09970
1949#1,05672
1948#1,28551
1947#1,23853
1946#1,25747
1945#1,15546
1944#1,23641
1943#1,08754
1942#1,13748
1941#1,11744
1940#1,21836
1939#1,47426
1938#1,18238
1937#1,06345
1936#1,13539
1935#1,41827
1934#1,16637
1933#1,60622
1932#1,42128
1931#2,10515
1930#1,46028
1929#1,39330
1928#1,89720
1927#1,66925
1926#1,16643
1925#1,60927
1924#1,53330
1923#1,38833
1922#1,36634
1921#1,92721
1920#2,07918
1919#1,92119
1918#1,33333
1917#1,60523
1916#1,40827
1915#1,28530
1914#1,48019
1913#1,22921
1912#1,35216
1911#1,37212
1910#99719
1909#1,21912
1908#1,20312
1907#94516
1906#1,15411
1905#1,5387
1904#1,09211
1903#1,2049
1902#1,07511
1901#1,3397
1900#91717
1899#98311
1898#84016
1897#98211
1896#1,2138
1895#93212
1894#1,1368
1893
1892#1,1717
1891#83911
1890#1,0997
1889#1,0257
1888#8949
1887#73310
1886#9936
1885#62912
1884#7938
1883#8176
1882#9085
1881
1880
First appearance
1882

The first year at least five girls were named Cara! It came in at #908, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1893, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Cara is popular in 1970

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #139 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 445 girlsAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNHWashington: #374 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,462 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #235 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,479 girlsMNIllinois: #309 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 1,907 girlsILWisconsin: #286 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 2,105 girlsWIMichigan: #356 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 2,744 girlsMINew York: #325 for girls · 71 births · 1 in 1,992 girlsNYMassachusetts: #207 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,243 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedRIOregon: #259 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,306 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedSDIowa: #310 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,321 girlsIAIndiana: #253 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 1,436 girlsINOhio: #357 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 2,876 girlsOHPennsylvania: #316 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 2,046 girlsPANew Jersey: #262 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,477 girlsNJConnecticut: #251 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,484 girlsCTCalifornia: #392 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 2,343 girlsCAUtah: #267 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,314 girlsUTColorado: #307 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,565 girlsCONebraska: #280 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,737 girlsNEMissouri: #284 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,689 girlsMOKentucky: #435 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,712 girlsKYWest Virginia: #328 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,561 girlsWVVirginia: #498 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,914 girlsVAMaryland: #372 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,802 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDEArizona: #438 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,491 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNMKansas: #296 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,639 girlsKSArkansas: #270 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,514 girlsARTennessee: #374 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,863 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #484 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,654 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #343 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,995 girlsDCOklahoma: #311 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,761 girlsOKLouisiana: #514 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,801 girlsLAMississippi: #521 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,758 girlsMSAlabama: #477 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,872 girlsALGeorgia: #607 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,773 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedHITexas: #460 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 2,977 girlsTXFlorida: #483 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,662 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alaska#139 · 1 in 445
  2. Massachusetts#207 · 1 in 1,243
  3. Minnesota#235 · 1 in 1,479
  4. Connecticut#251 · 1 in 1,484
  5. Indiana#253 · 1 in 1,436

Best ever in a state: #79 in New Hampshire, 1977.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#13961 in 445
Massachusetts#207341 in 1,243
Minnesota#235201 in 1,479
Connecticut#251141 in 1,484
Indiana#253301 in 1,436
Oregon#259111 in 1,306
New Jersey#262341 in 1,477
Utah#26781 in 1,314
Arkansas#27091 in 1,514
Nebraska#28061 in 1,737
Missouri#284211 in 1,689
Wisconsin#286161 in 2,105
Kansas#29691 in 1,639
Colorado#307111 in 1,565
Illinois#309461 in 1,907
Iowa#31091 in 2,321
Oklahoma#311101 in 1,761
Pennsylvania#316421 in 2,046
New York#325711 in 1,992
West Virginia#32851 in 2,561
District of Columbia#34351 in 1,995
Michigan#356271 in 2,744
Ohio#357311 in 2,876
Maryland#37291 in 2,802
Tennessee#374111 in 2,863
Washington#374101 in 2,462
California#392701 in 2,343
Kentucky#43571 in 3,712
Arizona#43861 in 2,491
Texas#460351 in 2,977
Alabama#47771 in 3,872
Florida#483131 in 3,662
North Carolina#48491 in 4,654
Virginia#49871 in 4,914
Louisiana#51481 in 3,801
Mississippi#52151 in 3,758
Georgia#60771 in 5,773
Delaware
Hawaii
Idaho
Maine
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Vermont
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Cara
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 30 spots since 2024 (#1,296#1,326)
  • 419 spots since 2020 (#907#1,326)
  • 598 spots since 2015 (#728#1,326)
  • Biggest jump: 260 spots in 1887 (#993#733)
  • Biggest drop: 422 spots in 1901 (#917#1,339)
Rise & fade · girls
103 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1882
  • Peaked 1985 at #184 (1,465 births)
  • Births halved by 1999, 14 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 82 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 82 yrs · run 1953–2018
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,087
  • Highest: 1 in 1,087 girls born in 1977 were named Cara (0.09%)
  • Latest: 1 in 9,567 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #184 in 1985, was only 1 in 1,175 (0.09%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1980s
  • 24.9% of all girls named Cara (13,277) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s63#629 (1885)#849
1890s91#839 (1891)#1,022
1900s113#917 (1900)#1,169
1910s219#997 (1910)#1,398
1920s281#1,166 (1926)#1,603
1930s305#1,063 (1937)#1,403
1940s492#1,056 (1949)#1,179
1950s1,291#706 (1959)#878
1960s5,779#274 (1965)#415
1970s10,413#189 (1977)#255
1980s13,277#184 (1985)#201
1990s9,844#228 (1991)#295
2000s6,034#393 (2000)#492
2010s3,830#609 (2011)#753
2020s1,273#907 (2020)#1,163

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Cara in 1970

girls
#351
716 births · 1 in 2,442 girls

Top girls' names in 1970

  1. #1Jennifer46,150
  2. #2Lisa38,967
  3. #3Kimberly34,130
  4. #4Michelle34,047
  5. #5Amy25,212
  6. #6Angela24,929
  7. #7Melissa23,735
  8. #8Tammy19,587
  9. #9Mary19,204
  10. #10Tracy18,464
  11. #351Cara716
More about 1970

girls

1,748,144 girls got a published name in 1970; 1 in 2,442 of them was named Cara, which outranked 96.2% of the 9,355 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Cara
  1. #348Esther726
  2. #349Arlene718
  3. #350Natasha717
  4. #351Cara716
  5. #352Jeannette714
  6. #353Doreen706
  7. #353Mindy706
Biggest movers since 1969
Risers
  1. 1,541Tanisha#2,515#974
  2. 1,194India#1,955#761
  3. 695Shay#1,648#953
  4. 685Terra#1,303#618
  5. 669Dyan#1,648#979
Fallers
  1. 385Cinnamon#698#1,083
  2. 306Kaye#932#1,238
  3. 303Luanne#990#1,293
  4. 273Laureen#845#1,118
  5. 273Lesia#965#1,238

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1970