Carolyn
Carolyn was the 1222nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 185 babies. Its best year was 1942, when it ranked 10th; the most babies were born in 1947 (20,742). Over the last ten years it has moved down 474 places. More babies were named Carolyn in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Caroline) feminine of Charles: man, free man · French, Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #1,222 girls, down 275 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 185girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 194720,742 babies
- Total since 1880
- 558,397babies recorded
What does the name Carolyn mean?
Carolyn is a spelling of Caroline, pronounced the same way, so it shares Caroline's meaning and origin.
Caroline is the French feminine form of Carolus, the Latin form of Charles, with the diminutive ending -ine. DMNES traces Charles to a Germanic word karl, 'man', related to Old English ceorl, 'freeman', and notes that Charlemagne made the name widespread. Wikipedia says Caroline came into English use in the 1600s, first among upper-class families in honor of Charles I and Charles II.
Carolus (Latin, “Charles”)karl (Old High German, “man”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Carolina, Carolyn, Carol, Callie, Carrie, Charlotte.
See also: Germanic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Caroline', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Charles', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wikipedia, 'Caroline (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Carolyn popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 1,620 since 1915.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,222 | 185 |
| 2020 | #947 | 270 |
| 2010 | #736 | 378 |
| 2000 | #308 | 1,031 |
| 1990 | #169 | 1,714 |
| 1980 | #147 | 1,928 |
| 1970 | #84 | 4,518 |
| 1960 | #43 | 9,403 |
| 1950 | #20 | 15,588 |
| 1940 | #15 | 12,657 |
| 1930 | #72 | 3,725 |
| 1920 | #150 | 1,556 |
| 1910 | #199 | 331 |
| 1900 | #231 | 185 |
| 1890 | #217 | 124 |
| 1880 | #163 | 80 |
How popular is Carolyn, counting every spelling?
Carolyn is a spelling of Caroline, a name family that ranked #105 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,222 for Carolyn on its own. Together these spellings went to 3,015 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline | 2,646 | #96 | 14,478 |
| Carolyn | 185 | #1,222 | 1,032 |
| Karoline | 119 | #1,718 | 476 |
| Carolynn | 45 | #3,409 | 198 |
| Carolyne | 9 | #10,260 | 46 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Carolyn?
185 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Carolyn (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Carolyn born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 45 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Carolyn.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Carolyn?
About 350,500 people born in the US named Carolyn are alive today, with a median age of 71; half are between 60 and 79. That makes Carolyn a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Carolyn by state
How common Carolyn was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Ohio (2.3×), South Carolina (2.2×), Alabama (2.2×), Pennsylvania (2.1×), Wisconsin (2.0×). In 22 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Carolyn: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Carolyn, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Carolyn
What does Carolyn mean?
Carolyn is a spelling of Caroline, which means “feminine of Charles: man, free man” (French, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Carolyn?
Carolyn was the 1222nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 185 babies. Its best year was 1942, when it ranked 10th; the most babies were born in 1947 (20,742). Over the last ten years it has moved down 474 places. More babies were named Carolyn in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Is Carolyn a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Carolyn in the US.
Where is Carolyn most popular?
In 2021–2025, Carolyn was most common in Ohio (0.29 per 1,000 girls), followed by South Carolina and Alabama.