Cara
Say it: KAR-a
GirlIrishMeans friend (Irish) or dear (Italian)4 letters2 syllables
#52
in Ireland (2025)
94
babies in 2025
#28
best rank (2023)
3,795
babies since 1966
Down 16
10-year rank change
Cara through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 94 | #52 |
| 2024 | 118 | #37 |
| 2023 | 157 | #28 |
| 2022 | 155 | #32 |
| 2021 | 155 | #34 |
| 2020 | 135 | #38 |
| 2019 | 176 | #31 |
| 2018 | 184 | #30 |
| 2017 | 162 | #34 |
| 2016 | 181 | #34 |
| 2015 | 185 | #36 |
| 2014 | 165 | #35 |
| 2013 | 160 | #40 |
| 2012 | 148 | #48 |
| 2011 | 155 | #50 |
| 2010 | 144 | #52 |
| 2009 | 123 | #58 |
| 2008 | 115 | #61 |
| 2007 | 96 | #68 |
| 2006 | 91 | #67 |
| 2005 | 87 | #66 |
| 2004 | 76 | #73 |
| 2003 | 60 | #86 |
| 2002 | 49 | #101 |
| 2001 | 53 | #91 |
| 2000 | 48 | #92 |
| 1999 | 36 | #110 |
| 1998 | 21 | #166 |
| 1997 | 24 | #189 |
| 1996 | 23 | #192 |
| 1995 | 26 | #167 |
| 1994 | 16 | #227 |
| 1993 | 21 | #193 |
| 1992 | 17 | #229 |
| 1991 | 15 | #244 |
| 1990 | 14 | #249 |
| 1989 | 12 | #272 |
| 1988 | 13 | #270 |
| 1987 | 16 | #242 |
| 1986 | 14 | #263 |
| 1985 | 8 | #348 |
| 1984 | 18 | #230 |
| 1983 | 14 | #267 |
| 1982 | 12 | #300 |
| 1981 | 17 | #251 |
| 1980 | 18 | #245 |
| 1979 | 20 | #230 |
| 1978 | 14 | #266 |
| 1977 | 15 | #254 |
| 1976 | 13 | #263 |
| 1975 | 19 | #221 |
| 1974 | 30 | #190 |
| 1973 | 16 | #248 |
| 1972 | 10 | #285 |
| 1971 | 9 | #289 |
| 1970 | 4 | #396 |
| 1969 | 7 | #303 |
| 1968 | 4 | #357 |
| 1967 | 3 | #393 |
| 1966 | 4 | #344 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Cara mean?
Friend (Irish) or dear (Italian)
A twentieth-century name from Irish cara (friend) or Italian cara (dear).
Say it right
KARa
Most people in Ireland say it with the "a" of "car".
Not:KAIR-a
The story of Cara
Cara is a modern name with two possible sources, and both may have played a part. In Irish, cara is the everyday word for a friend. In Italian, cara means dear, a common word of affection. Neither was used as a name in Ireland or Italy before the twentieth century. Kara, which the CSO counts as a separate name, has a similar story.
In Ireland Cara was first recorded in 1966. It grew slowly for decades, then faster from 2000. It reached number 28 in 2023 when its spellings are combined, or 27th in the CSO’s own list. Its busiest year was 2015, with 185 babies.
It is at least as popular in Northern Ireland, where its best position was 19th, in 2007.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Cara (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Cara (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cara | 94 | 3,792 |
| Cára | under 3 | 3 |
In Northern Ireland
#25 in 2025 with 52 babies. Best rank #19 (2007); 2,325 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.