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Cari

Girl name · 14 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Cari: 14 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 5 births in 2005.

Cari is primarily a Welsh name meaning “love,” derived from the verb *caru* (“to love”), and is also used as a short form of Caroline or a variant of Carrie in English-speaking countries. Among notable bearers are Welsh singer Cari, known for her work with the band Cari, and Cari Moskow, an American author and speaker. While no major places are directly named after a Cari, the name shares its Welsh root with the word *cariad* (“sweetheart”), which often appears in place names and terms of endearment across Wales. A further note: Cari is also a Turkish name meaning “old woman,” but this origin is far less common for Scottish or English speakers, where the warm Welsh association with love tends to resonate.

Girl 4 of 52 years

Peak year
20055 babies
Latest (2005)
#5095 babies
Total births
14since 1981
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2005 · 5
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).