Cara

Q: What is the origin of Cara?

Cara is of Italian origin. The name carries significant cultural meaning and has been used across generations within its origin tradition.

Q: How popular is the name Cara?

According to the latest SSA data, Cara is currently ranked #999999 in the United States. The popularity of this name has evolved over the past century based on cultural preferences and naming trends.

Q: Is Cara a boy name?

Cara is traditionally a boy name. Modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal choice and cultural context.

male

Updated 6 months ago

Meaning

"Dear; Beloved"

Can reflect Italian cara or Irish Cára traditions, producing a short name widely used in English with affectionate semantic associations.

Themes:multioriginshortlatinmodern

Unique Rare

Fact-checked by Lily Anderson

M.F.A. Creative Writing, Sarah LawrencePublished NovelistName Collection Curator • Creative Names Editor

This name has been verified against authoritative sources including SSA data, etymology databases, and cultural naming traditions.

Popularity History of Cara

Full SSA rank history from 1880 to 2024

UnrankedNot ranked in 2024

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Yearly Ranking Snapshot

Pick any SSA release year to inspect that year's national ranking and how it changed from the year before.

Year

Selected Year Rank

Unranked

Cara did not appear in the national SSA rankings for 2024.

Change Vs Previous Year

no national rank in 2024

Data Source

Popularity rankings are based on official data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), which tracks baby name applications in the United States.

Last updated: 2024 • Data source updated annually

Cara Nicknames

Familiar short forms, playful variations, and easy everyday options for Cara.

8 ideas

cara

Nickname

cary

Nickname

caray

Nickname

cie

Nickname

caraie

Nickname

Similar Names to Cara

male

Anthony

AN-thuh-nee

“Priceless; Invaluable”

#44

|Latin

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Arthur

AR-ther

“Bear Man”

#105

|Celtic

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Austin

AW-stun

“Great, Venerable”

#107

|Latin

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Adrian

AY-dree-un

“From Hadria”

#72

|Latin

male

Angel

“Messenger”

#63

|Greek

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Antonio

“Priceless Inestimable”

#180

|Latin

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Aiden

AY-den

“Little Fiery One”

#47

|Irish

male

Aidan

“Little Fiery One”

#312

|Irish

male

Arnold

“Eagle Power”

#1681

|Germanic

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Ayden

“Little Fire”

#212

|Irish

Baby Name Lists That Include Cara

Browse every Namylab list page that currently includes Cara, from meaning and origin collections to letter, syllable, and themed baby name lists.

19 linked lists

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Cara mean?

Cara means "Dear; Beloved". Can reflect Italian cara or Irish Cára traditions, producing a short name widely used in English with affectionate seman

What is the origin of Cara?

Cara is of Italian origin. The name has been used historically across cultures and carries significant cultural meaning within its origin tradition.

How popular is the name Cara?

According to the latest SSA data, Cara is currently not ranked in the United States. The name has shown interesting trends over the past century, with popularity varying based on cultural preferences and naming trends.

Is Cara a boy name?

Cara is traditionally a boy name. However, modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal preference.

What are good nicknames for Cara?

Popular nicknames for Cara include cara, cary, caray, cy, and more. These offer shorter, more casual alternatives for everyday use.

What names are similar to Cara?

There are many names similar to Cara in meaning, origin, or sound. Explore the Similar Names section to discover alternatives that may resonate with you.

Quick Facts

OriginItalian, Latin, Irish

Syllables2

Length4 letters

Trend→ Stable

Starts withC

Sibling Ideas

Brothers

Amare Americo Armoni Attilio Avante

Sisters

Annabella Allegra Analisa Annamaria Arionna

Explore More Boy Names Like Cara

Cara has Italian roots, making it a wonderful choice if you love names from this heritage. Discover more options in our Italian baby names collection, where you'll find hundreds of names with similar cultural depth.

Cara appears in several of our curated collections. Check out Names That Mean Love and Beautiful Irish Baby Names for more names with a similar feel. You might also enjoy browsing Unique Baby Names and Latin Baby Names.

Before you decide, try our Full Name Preview to see how Cara pairs with your surname. The Sibling Name Matcher can help find names that complement Cara beautifully, and the Nickname Predictor reveals the most common short forms.

Explore our full baby name lists for origin-based, meaning-based, and themed collections, or head back to the baby name generator to continue your search.