Bethany vs Cara
Bethany and Cara compared 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, Bethany was ranked #253 and Cara #33 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Cara #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #384 and Cara #196 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #585 and Cara #468 among girls in England and Wales.
Bethany and Cara over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Bethany and Cara over time
Bethany and Cara appear together in 3 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Cara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Bethany 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.
Bethany reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Cara in none. 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Cara moved into the top 50 at #24 in 2004 as Bethany fell out of it to #54, having been #34 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Cara moved ahead of Bethany in Northern Ireland · Girls — #34 and #35 the year before became #54 and #24.
- Longest-running competitions
Bethany and Cara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #585 and #468.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Bethany #11 in 1999, Cara #140 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Cara in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Cara #27 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Cara #52.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Cara in 2.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Cara #140 in 2001.
The order changed in 2024: Cara moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #304 and #444; by 2024 that had become #539 and #454.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #585, Cara #468.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Cara in 23.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Cara #19 in 2007.
The order changed in 2004: Cara moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #34 and #35; by 2004 that had become #54 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #253, 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 Bethany
Pairs where Bethany shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Shannon vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #11 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #2138 and #585.
Shannon · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Danielle vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #20 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #1454 and #585.
Danielle · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lauren vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #5 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #1166 and #585.
Lauren · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Bethany vs Eleanor
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #22 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #585 and #56.
Bethany · Eleanor · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other comparisons involving Cara
Pairs where Cara shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Ashleigh vs Cara
In 1997 they stood at #87 and #85 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2016 they were #440 and #23.
Ashleigh · Cara · 16 shared years, 1997–2016 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jodie vs Cara
In 1997 they stood at #77 and #85 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2021 they were #446 and #36.
Jodie · Cara · 23 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Kerry vs Cara
In 1997 they stood at #83 and #85 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2020 they were #397 and #31.
Kerry · Cara · 18 shared years, 1997–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
- Leanne vs Cara
In 1997 they stood at #93 and #85 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2010 they were #366 and #23.
Leanne · Cara · 12 shared years, 1997–2010 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.
- Sean vs Adam
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Adam moved into the top 50 at #9 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
Sean · Adam · 61 shared years, 1965–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
- Charlie vs Oisin
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Charlie moved into the top 50 at #10 in 2018 as Oisin fell out of it to #247, having been #11 the year before.
Charlie · Oisin · 33 shared years, 1983–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
- Sean vs Charlie
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Charlie moved into the top 50 at #10 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
Sean · Charlie · 33 shared years, 1983–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
- Sean vs Liam
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Liam moved into the top 50 at #11 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
Sean · Liam · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists
Pairs measured inside Northern 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.
- Charlotte vs Jodie
In 1997 they stood at #72 and #77 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2021 they were #13 and #446.
Charlotte · Jodie · 23 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #32 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2017 they were #1 and #432.
Emily · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Fiona
In 1997 they stood at #57 and #66 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2017 they were #2 and #432.
Grace · Fiona · 18 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Oliver vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #5 and #433.
Oliver · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Bethany | Cara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Genuinely dual-sourced: an Italian word meaning 'beloved', or independently an Irish word meaning 'friend' — Behind the Name records both without resolving between them. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkɑɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Caragh |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Cara has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish); Bethany does not have one recorded yet.
- Bethany has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Cara.
- A meaning is recorded for Cara; Bethany doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Bethany a "medium" Data Confidence level and Cara a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Bethany
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #457 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #585 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Cara
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls