Namewise

Aimee vs Cara

Aimee and Caracompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Aimee was ranked #179 and Cara #33 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aimee was ranked #885 and Cara #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Aimee was ranked #541 and Cara #196 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Aimee was ranked #1809 and Cara #468 among girls in England and Wales.

Aimee and Cara over time

Aimee and Cara appear together in 3 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Aimee held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cara in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Aimee reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Cara in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2010, Cara moved ahead of Aimee in Northern Ireland · Girls — #20 and #23 the year before became #32 and #23.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aimee and Cara changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1977 and 2025, ending at #885 and #52.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 49 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cara rose about as far as Aimee fell — from #429 and #254 in 1977 to #885 and #52 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aimee and Cara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1809 and #468.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1977–2025

    Aimee held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Cara in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #46 in 2005, Cara #27 in 2023.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #885, Cara #52.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aimee held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Cara in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #47 in 2004, Cara #140 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2015: Cara moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #207 and #230; by 2015 that had become #352 and #248.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #1809, Cara #468.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aimee held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Cara in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Aimee #9 in 2004, Cara #19 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2010: Cara moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #20 and #23; by 2010 that had become #32 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aimee #179, Cara #33.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Aimee

Pairs where Aimee shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Cara

Pairs where Cara shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aimee, Cara
FieldAimeeCara
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA variant of Amy, influenced by the French Aimée, carrying associations of love ('beloved').Genuinely dual-sourced: an Italian word meaning 'beloved', or independently an Irish word meaning 'friend' — Behind the Name records both without resolving between them.
OriginFrench, cognate with AmyDisputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.mi//ˈkɑɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesAmy, AiméeCaragh
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Aimee is recorded with a French, cognate with Amy origin, while Cara is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish origin.
  • Aimee and Cara both have 2 syllables.
  • Aimee's recorded meaning differs from Cara's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Aimee

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1977

    First recorded at #429 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Cara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #344 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #468 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls