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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201965peak #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 1965

  • 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: #271 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,385 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedIDMontana: #228 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 973 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #214 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,015 girlsNDMinnesota: #244 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,744 girlsMNIllinois: #247 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 1,497 girlsILWisconsin: #248 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,744 girlsWIMichigan: #261 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 1,677 girlsMINew York: #316 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 2,077 girlsNYMassachusetts: #277 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,250 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedRIOregon: #322 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,924 girlsORNevada: #151 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 519 girlsNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #135 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 514 girlsSDIowa: #280 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,845 girlsIAIndiana: #207 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 1,102 girlsINOhio: #271 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 1,726 girlsOHPennsylvania: #300 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 2,268 girlsPANew Jersey: #320 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 2,341 girlsNJConnecticut: #259 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,771 girlsCTCalifornia: #278 for girls · 104 births · 1 in 1,555 girlsCAUtah: #261 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,233 girlsUTColorado: #260 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,223 girlsCONebraska: #188 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 888 girlsNEMissouri: #203 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 1,012 girlsMOKentucky: #224 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,275 girlsKYWest Virginia: #239 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,506 girlsWVVirginia: #329 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,431 girlsVAMaryland: #245 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,567 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDEArizona: #241 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,030 girlsAZNew Mexico: #293 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,384 girlsNMKansas: #203 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 906 girlsKSArkansas: #237 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,244 girlsARTennessee: #295 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,134 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #287 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,990 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #495 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,504 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #272 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,463 girlsDCOklahoma: #172 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 740 girlsOKLouisiana: #279 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,592 girlsLAMississippi: #287 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,600 girlsMSAlabama: #348 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,458 girlsALGeorgia: #374 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,917 girlsGAHawaii: #250 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 906 girlsHITexas: #292 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 1,598 girlsTXFlorida: #300 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,850 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. South Dakota#135 · 1 in 514
  2. Nevada#151 · 1 in 519
  3. Oklahoma#172 · 1 in 740
  4. Nebraska#188 · 1 in 888
  5. Kansas#203 · 1 in 906

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#135101 in 514
Nevada#15161 in 519
Oklahoma#172231 in 740
Nebraska#188131 in 888
Kansas#203171 in 906
Missouri#203361 in 1,012
Indiana#207391 in 1,102
North Dakota#21451 in 1,015
Kentucky#224211 in 1,275
Montana#22851 in 973
Arkansas#237121 in 1,244
West Virginia#23991 in 1,506
Arizona#241131 in 1,030
Minnesota#244181 in 1,744
Maryland#245181 in 1,567
Illinois#247611 in 1,497
Wisconsin#248211 in 1,744
Hawaii#25061 in 906
Connecticut#259131 in 1,771
Colorado#260131 in 1,223
Michigan#261441 in 1,677
Utah#26171 in 1,233
Ohio#271511 in 1,726
Washington#271161 in 1,385
District of Columbia#27281 in 1,463
Massachusetts#277211 in 2,250
California#2781041 in 1,555
Louisiana#279211 in 1,592
Iowa#280121 in 1,845
Mississippi#287131 in 1,600
North Carolina#287211 in 1,990
Texas#292601 in 1,598
New Mexico#29371 in 1,384
Tennessee#295151 in 2,134
Florida#300241 in 1,850
Pennsylvania#300411 in 2,268
New York#316741 in 2,077
New Jersey#320231 in 2,341
Oregon#32271 in 1,924
Virginia#329151 in 2,431
Alabama#348121 in 2,458
Georgia#374141 in 2,917
South Carolina#49551 in 4,504
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Maine———
New Hampshire———
Rhode Island———
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 1965

girls
#274
987 births · 1 in 1,788 girls

Top girls' names in 1965

  1. #1Lisa60,271
  2. #2Mary34,270
  3. #3Karen32,869
  4. #4Kimberly28,836
  5. #5Susan26,321
  6. #6Patricia23,552
  7. #7Donna19,700
  8. #8Linda19,345
  9. #9Cynthia19,239
  10. #10Angela18,754
  11. #274Cara987
More about 1965

girls

1,765,164 girls got a published name in 1965; 1 in 1,788 of them was named Cara, which outranked 96.4% of the 7,535 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Cara
  1. #271Trina1,017
  2. #272Lillian1,016
  3. #273Antoinette994
  4. #274Cara987
  5. #274Jenny987
  6. #276Ruby984
  7. #277Kris978
  8. #278Marjorie974

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

Biggest movers since 1964
Risers
  1. ↑ 723Marni#1,610 → #887
  2. ↑ 654Dionne#1,281 → #627
  3. ↑ 432Marnie#1,016 → #584
  4. ↑ 426Keli#1,383 → #957
  5. ↑ 368Gia#1,334 → #966
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,326Djuna#738 → #2,064
  2. ↓ 470Djuana#756 → #1,226
  3. ↓ 383Shirl#714 → #1,097
  4. ↓ 297Beverley#955 → #1,252
  5. ↓ 275Dottie#912 → #1,187

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

See the top 100 for 1965 →