Cara vs Natalie
Cara and Nataliecompared 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 2021, Cara was ranked #36 and Natalie #350 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cara was ranked #52 and Natalie #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #196 and Natalie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #454 and Natalie #503 among girls in England and Wales.
Cara and Natalie over time
Cara and Natalie appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Natalie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cara in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Natalie 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Cara moved ahead of Natalie in Northern Ireland · Girls — #85 and #66 the year before became #78 and #85.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Cara and Natalie averaged 57.8 places apart, ending at #454 and #503.
- Mirrored each other
Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cara rose about as far as Natalie fell — from #344 and #236 in 1966 to #52 and #381 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Cara and Natalie were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 60 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #52 and #381.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Cara held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Natalie in 31.
Highest recorded here: Cara #27 in 2023, Natalie #76 in 1992.
The order changed in 1998: Cara moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #189 and #164; by 1998 that had become #166 and #197.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #52, Natalie #381.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Natalie in 16.
Highest recorded here: Cara #140 in 2001, Natalie #42 in 1996.
The order changed in 2023: Cara moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #468 and #433; by 2023 that had become #444 and #498.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #454, Natalie #503.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021
Cara held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Natalie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Cara #19 in 2007, Natalie #66 in 1997.
The order changed in 1998: Cara moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #85 and #66; by 1998 that had become #78 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Cara #36, Natalie #350.
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 | Natalie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | From the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑɹ.ə/ | /ˈnæt.ə.li/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #269 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Cara is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Italian, possibly Irish origin, while Natalie is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Cara has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Natalie.
- Cara's recorded meaning differs from Natalie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Cara a "high" Data Confidence level and Natalie 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
Natalie
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2014
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #269 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls