Carroll
Carroll was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1934, when it ranked 164th with 874 babies. More babies were named Carroll in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning from the Irish surname Ó Cearbhaill · Irish, English
Say it KAIR-ul /ˈkærəl/
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedboys
- Babies in 2025
- 0boys
- Girls and boys
- 21% girls, 79% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1934874 babies
- Total since 1880
- 41,347babies recorded
What does the name Carroll mean?
Carroll is mainly an Irish surname, from Ó Cearbhaill, "descendant of Cearbhall", a personal name whose meaning our sources do not give. Wikipedia notes that as an English given name it was also used as a form of Charles or Caroline. In the US it was given to both boys and girls and was most common in the 1930s. Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Dodgson.
Ó Cearbhaill (Irish, “descendant of Cearbhall”)
How sure is this? Probable. The meaning of the Irish personal name Cearbhall is not given in our sources.
Related names: Carol, Caroll, Charles, Carl.
See also: Irish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Carroll', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Carroll (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Carroll popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | #8,251 | — | 9 |
| 2000 | — | #5,626 | — | 12 |
| 1990 | #5,329 | #1,732 | 17 | 46 |
| 1980 | #5,009 | #1,023 | 14 | 78 |
| 1970 | #1,907 | #675 | 45 | 148 |
| 1960 | #1,147 | #480 | 90 | 273 |
| 1950 | #755 | #285 | 131 | 554 |
| 1940 | #550 | #190 | 156 | 755 |
| 1930 | #745 | #181 | 88 | 757 |
| 1920 | #1,210 | #212 | 40 | 607 |
| 1910 | #1,437 | #258 | 11 | 89 |
| 1900 | — | #244 | — | 69 |
| 1890 | — | #270 | — | 41 |
| 1880 | — | #336 | — | 26 |
How popular is Carroll, counting every spelling?
Carroll has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How old are people named Carroll?
About 10,300 people born in the US named Carroll are alive today, with a median age of 73; half are between 61 and 81. That makes Carroll 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.
Carroll by state
How common Carroll was among boys born in each state in 1932–1936, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Maine (6.0×), Maryland (4.5×), Vermont (3.7×), New Hampshire (3.2×), Iowa (2.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, New York, Oregon.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Carroll: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Carroll, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Carroll
What does Carroll mean?
Carroll means “from the Irish surname Ó Cearbhaill” (Irish, English origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Carroll?
Carroll was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1934, when it ranked 164th with 874 babies. More babies were named Carroll in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Carroll a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 21% girls, 79% boys given the name Carroll in the US.
Where was Carroll most popular?
In 1932–1936, Carroll was most common in Maine (4.73 per 1,000 boys), followed by Maryland and Vermont.