Declining since 2000, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Carah since 1969
Babies named Carah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 |
| 1970s | 38 |
| 1980s | 147 |
| 1990s | 252 |
| 2000s | 261 |
| 2010s | 168 |
| 2020s | 10 |
Meaning & origin
Carah is a modern spelling variant of Cara, a name that entered English usage primarily in the 20th century. Its first recorded appearance in U.S. data was in 1969, and it reached its peak popularity in 2001. Since then, Carah has been on a steady decline, reflecting a broader pattern of phonetic respellings losing favor. While it has never been among the top-ranked names, its unique spelling offers a distinctive alternative to the more common Kara or Cara. The name's meanings rooted in 'beloved' or 'friend' give it a warm, approachable feel, though no top states have shown particular preference for this spelling.
Carah is a modern respelling of Cara, which entered English usage in the 20th century. Cara itself has two likely sources: the Italian word 'cara' (beloved) and the Irish name Cara (from the Gaelic word 'cara' meaning friend). As a phonetic variant, Carah adapts the pronunciation while giving a distinct spelling.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Carah
Names that share Carah's style, for a brother or sister.
