Holding steady.
Popularity of Caress since 1978
Babies named Caress per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 149 |
| 1990s | 50 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Caress is a rare and modern name that entered the American naming landscape in 1978, reflecting the late 20th-century fashion for word names with positive connotations. Its usage peaked in 1986, but even then it remained far from common, never ranking in the top 1000. The name's trajectory has been stable with very low usage, appealing to parents seeking a distinctive name that evokes tenderness and affection. Caress is almost exclusively given to girls, fitting alongside other virtue and word names from the 1980s such as Charity and Hope.
Caress is a late 20th-century coinage taken directly from the English word caress, which entered the language via French caresse, from Latin carus (dear). It was first recorded as a given name in the United States in 1978, part of a trend of using virtuous or sentimental word names. The name saw its peak usage in 1986, but has remained relatively rare since.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cari, Cassy, Cress
Variants: Caresse, Carress
Sibling names for Caress
Names that share Caress's style, for a brother or sister.
