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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201986peak #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 1986

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedAKMaine: #150 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 762 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #173 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 999 girlsNHWashington: #206 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,088 girlsWAIdaho: #109 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 463 girlsIDMontana: #93 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 389 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #142 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 710 girlsNDMinnesota: #182 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,153 girlsMNIllinois: #187 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 1,108 girlsILWisconsin: #281 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,978 girlsWIMichigan: #157 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 927 girlsMINew York: #177 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 1,005 girlsNYMassachusetts: #125 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 702 girlsMARhode Island: #111 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 506 girlsRIOregon: #210 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,097 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNVWyoming: #108 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 398 girlsWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedSDIowa: #126 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 665 girlsIAIndiana: #171 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 1,027 girlsINOhio: #155 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 918 girlsOHPennsylvania: #139 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 781 girlsPANew Jersey: #157 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 893 girlsNJConnecticut: #113 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 578 girlsCTCalifornia: #373 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 2,210 girlsCAUtah: #263 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,397 girlsUTColorado: #187 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,040 girlsCONebraska: #157 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 793 girlsNEMissouri: #136 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 748 girlsMOKentucky: #179 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,048 girlsKYWest Virginia: #134 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 675 girlsWVVirginia: #227 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,406 girlsVAMaryland: #124 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 663 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDEArizona: #218 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,171 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNMKansas: #213 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,208 girlsKSArkansas: #183 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,035 girlsARTennessee: #156 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 889 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #214 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 1,317 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #318 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,968 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #189 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 807 girlsDCOklahoma: #209 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,174 girlsOKLouisiana: #505 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,525 girlsLAMississippi: #284 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,528 girlsMSAlabama: #257 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,524 girlsALGeorgia: #269 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,638 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedHITexas: #247 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 1,447 girlsTXFlorida: #198 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 1,208 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Montana#93 · 1 in 389
  2. Wyoming#108 · 1 in 398
  3. Idaho#109 · 1 in 463
  4. Rhode Island#111 · 1 in 506
  5. Connecticut#113 · 1 in 578

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#93101 in 389
Wyoming#10861 in 398
Idaho#109121 in 463
Rhode Island#111101 in 506
Connecticut#113301 in 578
Maryland#124371 in 663
Massachusetts#125501 in 702
Iowa#126241 in 665
West Virginia#134141 in 675
Missouri#136421 in 748
Pennsylvania#139881 in 781
North Dakota#14261 in 710
Maine#15081 in 762
Ohio#155741 in 918
Tennessee#156311 in 889
Michigan#157611 in 927
Nebraska#157121 in 793
New Jersey#157471 in 893
Indiana#171321 in 1,027
New Hampshire#17361 in 999
New York#1771081 in 1,005
Kentucky#179201 in 1,048
Minnesota#182241 in 1,153
Arkansas#183121 in 1,035
Colorado#187211 in 1,040
Illinois#187641 in 1,108
District of Columbia#18971 in 807
Florida#198551 in 1,208
Washington#206251 in 1,088
Oklahoma#209161 in 1,174
Oregon#210141 in 1,097
Kansas#213121 in 1,208
North Carolina#214271 in 1,317
Arizona#218201 in 1,171
Virginia#227241 in 1,406
Texas#247911 in 1,447
Alabama#257141 in 1,524
Utah#263101 in 1,397
Georgia#269231 in 1,638
Wisconsin#281151 in 1,978
Mississippi#28491 in 1,528
South Carolina#31891 in 1,968
California#373941 in 2,210
Louisiana#50581 in 3,525
Alaska———
Delaware———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
New Mexico———
South Dakota———
Vermont———

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 1986

girls
#194
1,338 births · 1 in 1,282 girls

Top girls' names in 1986

  1. #1Jessica52,682
  2. #2Ashley49,671
  3. #3Amanda40,532
  4. #4Jennifer36,187
  5. #5Sarah28,163
  6. #6Stephanie22,651
  7. #7Nicole21,292
  8. #8Brittany20,313
  9. #9Heather19,790
  10. #10Elizabeth19,074
  11. #194Cara1,338
More about 1986

girls

1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 1,282 of them was named Cara, which outranked 98.5% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Cara
  1. #191Kristine1,369
  2. #192Virginia1,367
  3. #193Carla1,344
  4. #194Cara1,338
  5. #195Claudia1,333
  6. #196Adrienne1,321
  7. #197Aimee1,318
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,719Kyrie#10,677 → #958
  2. ↑ 4,778Sable#5,678 → #900
  3. ↑ 2,034Eliana#2,484 → #450
  4. ↑ 1,497Shatara#2,484 → #987
  5. ↑ 1,374Cherrelle#2,253 → #879
Fallers
  1. ↓ 442Violeta#963 → #1,405
  2. ↓ 361Micaela#545 → #906
  3. ↓ 361Tasia#572 → #933
  4. ↓ 324Jo#925 → #1,249
  5. ↓ 306Tammie#987 → #1,293

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

See the top 100 for 1986 →