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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201998peak #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 1998

  • 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: #474 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,657 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: #376 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,297 girlsMNIllinois: #376 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 2,071 girlsILWisconsin: #598 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,203 girlsWIMichigan: #319 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,776 girlsMINew York: #275 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 1,503 girlsNYMassachusetts: #262 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,387 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedRIOregon: #413 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,055 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: #455 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,812 girlsIAIndiana: #344 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,838 girlsINOhio: #198 for girls · 58 births · 1 in 1,062 girlsOHPennsylvania: #200 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 1,060 girlsPANew Jersey: #251 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 1,338 girlsNJConnecticut: #196 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 914 girlsCTCalifornia: #574 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 3,508 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedUTColorado: #653 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,710 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNEMissouri: #429 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,699 girlsMOKentucky: #237 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,274 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedWVVirginia: #267 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,356 girlsVAMaryland: #296 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,496 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDEArizona: #581 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,246 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedNMKansas: #358 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,851 girlsKSArkansas: #269 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,322 girlsARTennessee: #258 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,388 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #229 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 1,138 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #298 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,526 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #382 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,879 girlsOKLouisiana: #555 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,121 girlsLAMississippi: #271 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,218 girlsMSAlabama: #374 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,085 girlsALGeorgia: #269 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,310 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Cara, so not publishedHITexas: #431 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 2,517 girlsTXFlorida: #384 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 2,251 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Connecticut#196 · 1 in 914
  2. Ohio#198 · 1 in 1,062
  3. Pennsylvania#200 · 1 in 1,060
  4. North Carolina#229 · 1 in 1,138
  5. Kentucky#237 · 1 in 1,274

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Connecticut#196171 in 914
Ohio#198581 in 1,062
Pennsylvania#200551 in 1,060
North Carolina#229371 in 1,138
Kentucky#237161 in 1,274
New Jersey#251311 in 1,338
Tennessee#258221 in 1,388
Massachusetts#262231 in 1,387
Virginia#267251 in 1,356
Arkansas#26991 in 1,322
Georgia#269341 in 1,310
Mississippi#271101 in 1,218
New York#275671 in 1,503
Maryland#296161 in 1,496
South Carolina#298111 in 1,526
Michigan#319291 in 1,776
Indiana#344181 in 1,838
Kansas#35871 in 1,851
Alabama#374101 in 2,085
Illinois#376341 in 2,071
Minnesota#376111 in 2,297
Oklahoma#38291 in 1,879
Florida#384331 in 2,251
Oregon#41381 in 2,055
Missouri#429111 in 2,699
Texas#431571 in 2,517
Iowa#45551 in 2,812
Washington#474111 in 2,657
Louisiana#55571 in 3,121
California#574631 in 3,508
Arizona#58191 in 3,246
Wisconsin#59861 in 4,203
Colorado#65361 in 3,710
Alaska———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Maine———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
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 1998

girls
#359
807 births · 1 in 2,190 girls

Top girls' names in 1998

  1. #1Emily26,188
  2. #2Hannah21,376
  3. #3Samantha20,195
  4. #4Sarah19,898
  5. #5Ashley19,875
  6. #6Alexis19,778
  7. #7Taylor18,576
  8. #8Jessica18,239
  9. #9Madison17,787
  10. #10Elizabeth15,193
  11. #359Cara807
More about 1998

girls

1,766,949 girls got a published name in 1998; 1 in 2,190 of them was named Cara, which outranked 97.8% of the 16,601 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 11.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Cara
  1. #356Kaitlynn809
  2. #357Haylee808
  3. #357Heaven808
  4. #359Cara807
  5. #360Josie801
  6. #361Mayra797
  7. #361Virginia797
Biggest movers since 1997
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,123Calista#2,820 → #697
  2. ↑ 1,165Ireland#1,983 → #818
  3. ↑ 1,158Abril#2,116 → #958
  4. ↑ 755Mya#993 → #238
  5. ↑ 619Ally#1,036 → #417
Fallers
  1. ↓ 586Yulissa#424 → #1,010
  2. ↓ 462Moesha#943 → #1,405
  3. ↓ 397Yulisa#985 → #1,382
  4. ↓ 376Tonya#905 → #1,281
  5. ↓ 347Xena#765 → #1,112

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

See the top 100 for 1998 →