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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201962peak #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 1962

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedAKMaine: 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: #345 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,312 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedIDMontana: #237 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,036 girlsMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #468 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,316 girlsMNIllinois: #454 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 4,473 girlsILWisconsin: #355 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,849 girlsWIMichigan: #444 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 4,828 girlsMINew York: #413 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 3,713 girlsNYMassachusetts: #353 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,951 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedRIOregon: #295 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,711 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: #459 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,471 girlsIAIndiana: #339 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,847 girlsINOhio: #569 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 7,574 girlsOHPennsylvania: #510 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 6,521 girlsPANew Jersey: #399 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 3,804 girlsNJConnecticut: #314 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,630 girlsCTCalifornia: #395 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 2,844 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNEMissouri: #376 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,276 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedWVVirginia: #491 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,748 girlsVAMaryland: #425 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,184 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNMKansas: #312 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,984 girlsKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedARTennessee: #417 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,955 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #495 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 5,298 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #400 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,945 girlsOKLouisiana: #651 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,342 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedMSAlabama: #542 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,558 girlsALGeorgia: #556 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 6,240 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedHITexas: #540 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 4,606 girlsTXFlorida: #384 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,894 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Montana#237 · 1 in 1,036
  2. Oregon#295 · 1 in 1,711
  3. Kansas#312 · 1 in 1,984
  4. Connecticut#314 · 1 in 2,630
  5. Indiana#339 · 1 in 2,847

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#23761 in 1,036
Oregon#29591 in 1,711
Kansas#312101 in 1,984
Connecticut#31491 in 2,630
Indiana#339171 in 2,847
Washington#345121 in 2,312
Massachusetts#353131 in 3,951
Wisconsin#355111 in 3,849
Missouri#376131 in 3,276
Florida#384171 in 2,894
California#395611 in 2,844
New Jersey#399151 in 3,804
Oklahoma#40071 in 2,945
New York#413441 in 3,713
Tennessee#41791 in 3,955
Maryland#42571 in 4,184
Michigan#444171 in 4,828
Illinois#454231 in 4,473
Iowa#45951 in 5,471
Minnesota#46861 in 6,316
Virginia#49171 in 5,748
North Carolina#49591 in 5,298
Pennsylvania#510161 in 6,521
Texas#540241 in 4,606
Alabama#54261 in 5,558
Georgia#55671 in 6,240
Ohio#569131 in 7,574
Louisiana#65161 in 6,342
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Mississippi———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
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 1962

girls
#455
448 births · 1 in 4,390 girls

Top girls' names in 1962

  1. #1Lisa46,069
  2. #2Mary43,502
  3. #3Susan35,752
  4. #4Karen35,184
  5. #5Linda31,461
  6. #6Patricia26,532
  7. #7Donna25,719
  8. #8Cynthia24,025
  9. #9Deborah22,889
  10. #10Sandra22,420
  11. #455Cara448
More about 1962

girls

1,966,603 girls got a published name in 1962; 1 in 4,390 of them was named Cara, which outranked 94.0% of the 7,584 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 15.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Cara
  1. #451Mitzi451
  2. #453Angel450
  3. #454Benita449
  4. #455Cara448
  5. #455Erica448
  6. #457Bridgette447
  7. #457Hazel447
  8. #457Krista447

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1961
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,281Tiffany#2,070 → #789
  2. ↑ 879Whitney#1,627 → #748
  3. ↑ 541Zina#1,533 → #992
  4. ↑ 414Glynis#1,406 → #992
  5. ↑ 408Lolita#978 → #570
Fallers
  1. ↓ 300Fern#821 → #1,121
  2. ↓ 259Jacklyn#815 → #1,074
  3. ↓ 255Dorthy#929 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 224Laurene#943 → #1,167
  5. ↓ 215Jimmie#911 → #1,126

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

See the top 100 for 1962 →