Cara vs Jade
Cara and Jadecompared 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, Cara was ranked #33 and Jade #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cara was ranked #52 and Jade #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #196 and Jade #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #454 and Jade #638 among girls in England and Wales.
Cara and Jade over time
Cara and Jade appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Cara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jade in 0.
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.
Jade 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 #34 in 2002 as Jade fell out of it to #64, having been #28 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2007, Cara moved ahead of Jade in England and Wales · Girls — #198 and #149 the year before became #196 and #238.
- Longest-running competitions
Cara and Jade were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1974 to 2025, ending at #52 and #352.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1974–2025
Cara held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jade in 21.
Highest recorded here: Cara #27 in 2023, Jade #30 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #52, Jade #352.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Jade in 11.
Highest recorded here: Cara #140 in 2001, Jade #19 in 1996.
The order changed in 2007: Cara moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #198 and #149; by 2007 that had become #196 and #238.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #454, Jade #638.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jade in 4.
Highest recorded here: Cara #19 in 2007, Jade #28 in 2001.
The order changed in 2002: Cara moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #34 and #28; by 2002 that had become #34 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #33, Jade #288.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Cara | Jade |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Genuinely dual-sourced: an Italian word meaning 'beloved', or independently an Irish word meaning 'friend' — Behind the Name records both without resolving between them. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑɹ.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Caragh | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Cara has a recorded origin (Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish); Jade does not have one recorded yet.
- Cara and Jade both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cara; Jade doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Cara a "high" Data Confidence level and Jade a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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 #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Jade
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #490 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2014
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 (recorded 1978–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls