NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Cara

Italian feminine form of the Latin word "carus" meaning beloved, dear.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Cara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Cara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #454, with 91 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 324 births.

This profile covers 6,375 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 28% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 12,274 living people in the UK are called Cara. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Cara ranked #454 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 91 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2001, when 324 girls were registered as Cara.
  • Cara ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #33 in 2024.
  • About 12,274 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#454

2024

Births in 2024

91

Latest year

Peak year

2001

324 births

Estimated living

12,274

2026

Meaning

What does Cara mean?

The name Cara is derived from the Latin word "carus," which means "beloved" or "dear." It is believed to have originated in ancient Rome, where it was likely used as a term of endearment or a nickname for someone who was particularly cherished or admired.

Cara has its roots in the Italian language and culture, where it has been a popular name for centuries. It was commonly used as a pet name or a shortened form of longer Italian names such as Carissima or Caramia, which also carry the meaning of "dearest" or "most beloved."

The name Cara has been documented in various historical records and texts throughout the centuries. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the works of the Roman poet Ovid, who lived in the 1st century BC. In his collection of love poems, Amores, Ovid uses the term "cara" to address his beloved.

In the Middle Ages, the name Cara gained popularity in Italy and other parts of Europe. It was often used as a name for girls born into noble or aristocratic families, reflecting the affectionate and endearing connotations of the name.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Cara can be found in the historical records of the Medici family, a prominent Italian Renaissance dynasty. In the 15th century, there was a woman named Cara de' Medici, who was a member of this influential family.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Cara. One of the most famous was Cara Delevingne, an English model, actress, and singer born in 1992. Another well-known Cara was Cara Zeichner, an American television personality and journalist born in 1981.

In literature, the name Cara has been used for several fictional characters. One notable example is Cara Dune, a character from the Star Wars universe introduced in the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian."

Other notable individuals named Cara include Cara Buono, an American actress born in 1974, and Cara Black, an American crime fiction writer born in 1951.

While the name Cara has its roots in ancient Rome and has been used throughout history, it remains a popular and endearing choice for parents today, carrying with it a sense of affection and warmth.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Cara over time

The chart below shows babies named Cara registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Cara, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 91 births in 2024, compared with 324 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Cara
081162243324199620102024

Decades

Cara by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cara was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #413 534 5
2010s #250 2,012 10
2000s #183 2,677 10
1990s #157 1,152 4

Geography

Where Cara is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cara. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Cara ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #33 in 2024.

Northern Ireland
50
Scotland
19

Across the UK

Cara in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#196 in 2024

51 years of NRS records, 3,705 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#33 in 2024

28 years of NISRA records, 2,273 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Cara

  • Cara Bossom

    actor

    actress

    2005-

  • Cara Tumelty

    association football player

    2004-

  • Cara Mervyn

    association football player

    2003-

  • Cara Murray

    cricketer

    Irish cricketer

    2000-

  • Cara Speller

    film producer; animator

    British producer of film and television

    2000-

  • Cara Fraser

    basketball player

    Scottish basketball player (born 1998)

    1998-

  • Cara Black

    basketball player

    Scottish basketball player (born 1997)

    1997-

  • Cara Hunter

    politician

    Northern Irish politician

    1995-

Related

Names similar to Cara

FAQ

Cara: questions and answers

How popular is the name Cara in the UK right now?

In 2024, Cara was ranked #454 for girls in England and Wales, with 91 births registered.

When was Cara most popular?

The peak year on record was 2001, with 324 babies registered as Cara in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Cara?

Italian feminine form of the Latin word "carus" meaning beloved, dear.

How many people are called Cara in the UK?

A total of 6,375 babies have been registered as Cara across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3,705 more in Scotland and 2,273 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Cara most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Cara ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #33 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.