The Care Bears are a group of multi-colored bears that were originally created in the early 1980s. Each Care Bear has their own special power based on their personality. There have been many different Care Bear characters introduced over the decades across various TV shows, movies and product lines. Answering the question “what are all the Care Bears called?” requires looking at the full history of the Care Bears franchise.
Original 10 Care Bears from 1982
The original 10 Care Bears first appeared on greeting cards from American Greetings in 1982. These 10 Care Bears are considered the “classic” Care Bears and have stayed consistent throughout the history of the franchise. The original 10 Care Bears are:
| Bedtime Bear | A bear that helps people sleep |
| Birthday Bear | A bear that helps celebrate birthdays |
| Cheer Bear | A bear that promotes cheer and happiness |
| Friend Bear | A bear that helps friendship |
| Funshine Bear | A bear that promotes play and jokes |
| Good Luck Bear | A bear that provides good luck |
| Grumpy Bear | A bear that is grumpy but cares |
| Love-a-Lot Bear | A bear that gives out love |
| Tenderheart Bear | The bear that cares the most |
| Wish Bear | A bear that grants wishes |
These original 10 Care Bears would go on to be featured in the very first Care Bears movie in 1985 as well as the first Care Bears TV series in the mid-1980s. Their colors and symbols helped establish the trademark look and feel of the Care Bears.
The Next 10 Care Bears from 1983-1984
After the huge success of the initial 10 Care Bears, American Greetings introduced 10 more Care Bear characters in 1983 and 1984. These 10 Care Bears joined the original 10 as the main cast of Care Bears characters across TV, movies and merchandise in the 1980s. Here are the second wave of 10 Care Bears:
| Baby Hugs Bear | A playful baby bear |
| Baby Tugs Bear | A playful baby bear |
| Champ Bear | A bear that is athletic and competitive |
| Daydream Bear | A bear that daydreams |
| Harmony Bear | A bear that likes peace |
| I Love You Bear | A bear that says “I love you” |
| Secret Bear | A bear that keeps secrets |
| Share Bear | A bear that shares |
| Surprise Bear | A bear that surprises others |
| True Heart Bear | A bear that has lots of love |
Like the original batch of 10 Care Bears, this second group helped round out the cast of colorful bears and provide more diversity of personalities and abilities. Several of these Care Bears, like Champ Bear, Harmony Bear and Share Bear, would remain prominent characters in future Care Bears incarnations over the next few decades.
Care Bear Cousins from 1984-1985
In 1984 and 1985, American Greetings introduced another set of plush characters affiliated with the Care Bears – the Care Bear Cousins. Unlike the bears, the cousins were other animals like lions, rabbits and penguins. Here are the first 11 Care Bear Cousin characters:
| Brave Heart Lion | A courageous lion |
| Bright Heart Raccoon | A smart raccoon |
| Cozy Heart Penguin | A warm and cozy penguin |
| Gentle Heart Lamb | A soft and cuddly lamb |
| Lotsa Heart Elephant | A playful elephant who forgets |
| Loyal Heart Dog | A loyal and true dog |
| Noble Heart Horse | A wise and noble horse |
| Playful Heart Monkey | A silly monkey |
| Proud Heart Cat | A proud yet kind cat |
| Swift Heart Rabbit | A speedy rabbit |
| Treat Heart Pig | A bear that gives treats |
The Care Bear Cousins joined the bears as regular cast members in the 1980s Care Bears cartoons and films. They added more diversity in terms of species and personalities to the Care Bears franchise. Many of the Cousins like Brave Heart Lion, Bright Heart Raccoon and Lotsa Heart Elephant remain popular characters today.
Later Additions in the 1980s-2000s
After the initial batch of Care Bears and Cousins were introduced in the 1980s, more characters continued to be added to the Care Bears family over the next two decades:
| 2000s Additions | |
| America Cares Bear | A patriotic bear |
| Bashful Heart Bear | A shy bear |
| Best Friend Bear | A friendly bear |
| Do Your Best Bear | A bear that does their best |
| Heartsong Bear | A bear that sings songs |
| Hopeful Heart Bear | A hopeful bear |
| Laugh-a-Lot Bear | A silly bear |
| Smart Heart Bear | A brainy bear |
| Sweet Dreams Bear | A bear that brings sweet dreams |
| Take Care Bear | A helpful bear |
| 1980s-90s Additions | |
| Amigo Bear | A Spanish-speaking bear |
| Best Friend Bear | A friendly bear |
| Grams Bear | A grandmotherly bear |
| Perfect and Polite Panda | Polite panda twins |
| Romantic Heart Skunk | A romantic skunk |
| Sea Friend Bear | A bear who helps sea animals |
| Smart Heart Bear | A brainy bear |
| Sweet Sakura Bear | A Japanese cherry blossom bear |
| Thanks-a-Lot Bear | A grateful bear |
| Work of Heart Bear | A hard working bear |
Over 20 more bears and cousins joined the gang during this period, expanding the world of Care-a-lot and providing new opportunities for storytelling and lessons about emotions. While not all of these additions remained major characters, it shows how the Care Bears franchise continued evolving over time.
The Newest Care Bears and Cousins
In the 21st century, new Care Bears and Cousins are still occasionally introduced. Here are some of the most recent additions to the Care Bears family:
| Wonderheart Bear | A curious bear |
| Great Giving Bear | A charitable bear |
| Do Your Best Bear | A bear that does their best |
| Laugh-a-Lot Bear | A silly bear |
| Smart Heart Bear | A brainy bear |
| Sweet Dreams Bear | A bear that brings sweet dreams |
| Ultimate Bear | A strong, athletic bear |
| Shine Bright Bear | A star-loving bear |
| Work of Heart Bear | A hard working bear |
| Silly Heart Llama | A goofy llama cousin |
Even in recent years, unique new Care Bears are still occasionally added to provide fresh stories and expand the citizens of Care-a-lot. While not all of them have staying power, it’s interesting to see the brand continue to grow even after 40 years.
Special Limited Edition Bears
In addition to the regular roster of Care Bears and Cousins, there have also been numerous limited edition bears released over the years. These are bears that were only available for a short time:
| America Cares Bear | 2002 |
| Bunny Bear | 2019 |
| Crowned Heart Bear | 2006 |
| Forest Friend Bear | 1985 |
| Pink Power Bear | 2003 |
| Rosey Heart Bear | 2005 |
| Rainbow Heart Bear | 2004 |
| St. Patrick’s Day Bear | 2003-2005 |
| Winter Fun Bear | 2019 |
Part of the appeal of collecting Care Bears is tracking down these unique limited edition bears that were only available for a short period of time or for a specific holiday. They make great additions for serious Care Bears collectors.
The Most Popular Care Bears
While there are now well over 50 Care Bear characters if you include all the limited editions, some of the bears definitely stand out as the most popular, iconic and well-known. Here are 5 of the most popular Care Bears of all time:
| Cheer Bear |
| Funshine Bear |
| Love-a-Lot Bear |
| Bedtime Bear |
| Grumpy Bear |
These classic bears from the very beginning of the franchise are the ones that most people think of first when imagining Care Bears. They appeared heavily in merchandise, cartoons and movies and became ingrained in pop culture of the 1980s and beyond.
The Villains
Lastly, throughout Care Bear history there have been various villain characters that the bears and cousins have had to face. Here are the major Care Bears villains over the decades:
| Professor Coldheart | A mad scientist |
| Frostbite | Ice beast assistant to Coldheart |
| Dark Heart | An evil spirit |
| Shreeky | Niece of No Heart |
| Beastly | Dimwitted assistant to No Heart |
| No Heart | The Bears’ main nemesis |
| Grizzle | Villain in 2000s series |
These infamous villains provided antagonists and threats for the caring, kind heroes to overcome through the various TV series and films over the decades. No Heart, in particular, stands out as the most dastardly opponent to the peace and good vibes of the Care Bears.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, since the Care Bears debuted in 1982, there have been over 50 primary Care Bear characters that make up the world of Care-a-lot. From the original iconic bears like Cheer Bear and Bedtime Bear to more recent additions like Wonderheart Bear, the Care Bear family continues to expand. For devoted collectors, the full roster provides many different lovable bears and cousins to find, appreciate and add to their collections. The core message of caring and sharing remains consistent even as new characters arise. For many children of the 80s, Care Bears bring back fond memories. And new generations continue discovering these adorable, multi-colored plush bears that want nothing more than to spread love throughout the world.
