Cara vs Shauna
Cara and Shaunacompared 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 2019, Cara was ranked #26 and Shauna #424 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Cara was ranked #52 and Shauna #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cara was ranked #454 and Shauna #4192 among girls in England and Wales.
Cara and Shauna over time
Cara and Shauna appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Cara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Shauna 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.
Shauna 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 #48 in 1999 as Shauna fell out of it to #58, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2003, Cara moved ahead of Shauna in England and Wales · Girls — #181 and #159 the year before became #159 and #243.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cara and Shauna changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1966 and 2025, ending at #52 and #885.
- Mirrored each other
Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cara rose about as far as Shauna fell — from #344 and #380 in 1966 to #52 and #885 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Cara and Shauna were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 60 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #52 and #885.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Cara #140 in 2001, Shauna #115 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Cara held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Shauna in 37.
Highest recorded here: Cara #27 in 2023, Shauna #6 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cara #52, Shauna #885.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Cara held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Shauna in 6.
Highest recorded here: Cara #140 in 2001, Shauna #115 in 2000.
The order changed in 2003: Cara moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #181 and #159; by 2003 that had become #159 and #243.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cara #454, Shauna #4192.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2019
Cara held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Shauna in 2.
Highest recorded here: Cara #19 in 2007, Shauna #46 in 1997.
The order changed in 1999: Cara moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #78 and #47; by 1999 that had become #48 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Cara #26, Shauna #424.
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 | Shauna |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Caragh | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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); Shauna does not have one recorded yet.
- Cara and Shauna both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cara; Shauna doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
- The available evidence gives Cara a "high" Data Confidence level and Shauna 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
Shauna
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #380 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 recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1966–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls