Cara vs Molly
Cara and Mollycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cara was ranked #52 and Molly #20 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #33 and Molly #28 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #196 and Molly #68 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #454 and Molly #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Cara and Molly over time
Cara and Molly appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Molly held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cara 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.
Molly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Molly moved ahead of Cara in Northern Ireland · Girls — #26 and #31 the year before became #31 and #22.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cara and Molly changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #33 and #28.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Cara and Molly averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #33 and #28.
- Longest-running competitions
Cara and Molly were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #52 and #20.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Cara #140 in 2001, Molly #15 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1989–2025
Cara held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Molly in 33.
Highest recorded here: Cara #27 in 2023, Molly #18 in 2019.
The order changed in 1992: Molly moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #244 and #273; by 1992 that had become #229 and #188.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #52, Molly #20.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Molly in 29.
Highest recorded here: Cara #140 in 2001, Molly #15 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #454, Molly #104.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Molly in 15.
Highest recorded here: Cara #19 in 2007, Molly #18 in 2007.
The order changed in 2020: Molly moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #26 and #31; by 2020 that had become #31 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #33, Molly #28.
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 | Molly |
|---|---|---|
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #20 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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); Molly does not have one recorded yet.
- Cara and Molly both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cara; Molly 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 Molly 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
Molly
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #408 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2001 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #217 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls