Kara vs May

Kara and Maycompared 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, Kara was ranked #336 and May #424 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kara was ranked #413 and May #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kara was ranked #885 and May #610 among girls in England and Wales.

Kara and May over time

Kara and May appear together in 2 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Kara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, May 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kara and May changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1971 and 2025, ending at #413 and #718.
Longest-running competitions
Kara and May were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 32 years, from 1971 to 2025, ending at #413 and #718.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls32 shared years, 1971–2025
Kara held the stronger position in 26 of those years, May in 3.
Highest recorded here: Kara #165 in 2015, May #262 in 2023.
The order changed in 2025: Kara moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #372 and #342; by 2025 that had become #413 and #718.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kara #413, May #718.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kara held the stronger position in 26 of those years, May in 3.
Highest recorded here: Kara #186 in 2011, May #325 in 2007.
The order changed in 2022: May moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #588 and #654; by 2022 that had become #910 and #630.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kara #885, May #610.

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 May

Pairs where May shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Anna vs May
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #23 and #481.
Anna · May · 80 shared years, 1945–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Elisabeth vs May
In 1945 they stood at #50 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #171 and #481.
Elisabeth · May · 80 shared years, 1945–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Gunn vs May
In 1945 they stood at #53 and #43 in Norway · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2005 they were #546 and #244.
Gunn · May · 60 shared years, 1945–2005 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2005 Norway ranking
Laila vs May
Laila and May changed places 18 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #408 and #481.
Laila · May · 79 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kara, May
Field	Kara	May
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)	Norway · Girls #481 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Kara has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for May.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Kara

Popularity journey

First recorded1970
First recorded at #396 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #93 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2006 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

May

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #43 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #481 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls