Did you know where Cara Delavigne’s parents found the inspiration for the name ‘Cara’?
Cara is an Irish female name that means ‘friend’. It’s a common name in Ireland, the UK and further afield.
Cara Delavigne is perhaps the most famous face around the world with this Irish moniker. The English model and actor appears to have no Irish heritage, but the story of how she was given her Irish first name is both surprising and hilarious.
Let’s look at the unlikely inspiration behind Cara Delavigne’s Irish name. It’s certainly not what you might think.
Cara – name meaning and origin
Translating from Irish as ‘friend’ and pronounced exactly as it looks (not so common with Irish names), Cara is a popular Irish given name, most popularly amongst females.
While the name is of Irish origin, it is also an English, German, and Italian language feminine name that means ‘darling’, ‘beloved’, or ‘dear’.
Furthermore, the name has Danish, Norwegian and Swedish roots as an alternate form of the name Kara. Famous Cara’s include English model and actor Cara Delavigne, Cara Buono, and Cara Sorbello.
The unlikely inspiration behind Cara Delavigne’s Irish name – and ode to Aer Lingus
So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the surprising reason behind Cara Delavigne’s Irish first name.
In an interview with The Irish Times two years ago with Cara Delavigne’s father, Charles Hamar Delavigne, he revealed the interesting origin of her name.
He told the magazine at the time, “I remember I used to go backwards and forwards to Dublin a lot, and the name of the Aer Lingus magazine was Cara. I loved the name”.
So, Cara Delavigne was effectively named after Aer Lingus’ in-flight magazine.
The airline’s in-flight magazine ceased publication during Covid-19 due to the collapse in airline travel. The publication had the most expensive advertising rates of any Irish magazine.
And while what it was selling might not have been its name, that was one thing Cara Delavigne’s father certainly took away from his Aer Lingus experience.
Cara Delavigne – one of the world’s most famous models
Cara Delavigne first took the fashion industry by storm in her debut runway show for Burberry Autumn/Winter back in 2011.
Having risen to prominence as a model, she created a name for herself in film with a lead role in the 2015 mystery romance Paper Towns alongside Nat Wolff. Her first role, though, was actually a small part in the 2012 film adaptation of Anna Karenina.
However, it was perhaps her villain role in 2016’s Suicide Squad that was her most memorable acting gig to date.
Throughout her career, she has had many incredible achievements, including being named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in both 2012 and 2014.
More recently, Cara Delavigne has opened up about her journey to sobriety and healing after several appearances garnered concern from the public and the press.
She will make her theatre debut as Sally Bowes in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in London in March this year.
