Cara

At a Glance: Name: Cara – Meaning: beloved/dear (Italian) or friend (Irish) – Origin: English (modern coinage, echoing Italian/Irish) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAIR-uh

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Cara is pronounced KAIR-uh and carries two possible meanings depending on which root you trace: "beloved" or "dear" in Italian, and "friend" in Irish. As an English name, it's a modern coinage that echoes both of those traditions rather than descending directly from either one. It's a short, clean name with a simple sound and a meaning that reads warmly either way you take it.

Meaning & Origin of Cara

Meaning: Beloved/dear (italian) or friend (irish).

Origin: English (modern coinage, echoing Italian/Irish).

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Cara

Phonetic: KAIR-uh   IPA: /ˈkɛrə/

Popularity of Cara

Cara peaked in 1985 at #184 nationally, with 1,465 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had dropped to #1,294, with just 178 babies — a steady decline over the decades tracked in Social Security Administration data going back to 1882.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1882–2024.

Make Cara Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Cara, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Ai
• Anne
• Carys
• Ceri
• Eira
• Elska

FAQ

What does the name Cara mean?

Beloved/dear (italian) or friend (irish). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cara)

How do you pronounce Cara?

Cara is pronounced KAIR-uh (IPA: /ˈkɛrə/).

Is Cara a popular name right now?

Cara peaked at #184 in 1985 and is ranked #1294 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1882–2024.)

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