Fun Facts About the Name Carolyn
- An established favorite: Carolyn held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 44 consecutive years, from 1927 through 1970.
- More than 558 thousand babies named Carolyn: U.S. records list 558,398 babies given the name Carolyn from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,620 boys received the name Carolyn - about 1 boy for every 344 girls.
What Does the Name Carolyn Mean?
Carolyn is an English feminine form of Caroline, which comes from the Germanic name Karl by way of Latin Carolus and French Charles. The root karl meant 'man' or 'free man,' so the literal sense behind Carolyn is 'free man.' Because the name is feminine, it is often rendered in everyday use as 'free woman,' but that is a customary adaptation rather than a separate etymology. The similar English word carol, meaning a song or dance, comes from a different source and is not related to Carolyn.
Carolyn Name History & Origins
Carolyn is an English variant of Caroline rather than an independent ancient name. Caroline developed as the feminine form of Charles, a name brought to England by the Normans after 1066; its Germanic ancestor Karl was older still. Caroline was in use in England by the 17th century and became more common in the 18th. Queen Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, bore the name in the 18th century.
The spelling Carolyn uses the ending -yn, found in other English feminine names such as Evelyn and Madelyn, in place of the -ine of Caroline. The two forms have been used alongside each other, and Carolyn is not a separate medieval or biblical name. In the 19th and 20th centuries it was a regular feminine name in the United States and other English-speaking countries. A later literary association is Carolyn Keene, the collective pseudonym used for the Nancy Drew books beginning in 1930.
How Popular is the Name Carolyn?
Carolyn remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1927 to 1970. Its highest annual birth count was in 1947, and people born that year turn 79 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,222 | 185 | 0.0115% |
| 2024 | #1,163 | 206 | 0.0128% |
| 2023 | #1,084 | 228 | 0.0142% |
| 2022 | #1,239 | 194 | 0.0118% |
| 2021 | #1,129 | 218 | 0.0133% |
| 2020 | #947 | 270 | 0.0167% |
| 2019 | #936 | 282 | 0.0168% |
| 2018 | #865 | 313 | 0.0184% |
| 2017 | #833 | 326 | 0.0189% |
| 2016 | #809 | 352 | 0.0199% |
| 2015 | #748 | 377 | 0.0211% |
| 2014 | #747 | 375 | 0.0210% |
| 2013 | #784 | 347 | 0.0198% |
| 2012 | #765 | 360 | 0.0204% |
| 2011 | #742 | 371 | 0.0211% |
| 2010 | #736 | 378 | 0.0213% |
| 2009 | #682 | 426 | 0.0232% |
| 2008 | #678 | 448 | 0.0237% |
| 2007 | #606 | 495 | 0.0257% |
| 2006 | #517 | 587 | 0.0309% |
| 2005 | #489 | 626 | 0.0339% |
| 2004 | #418 | 731 | 0.0398% |
| 2003 | #430 | 701 | 0.0384% |
| 2002 | #365 | 822 | 0.0457% |
| 2001 | #346 | 870 | 0.0483% |
| 2000 | #308 | 1,031 | 0.0568% |
| 1999 | #297 | 1,037 | 0.0585% |
| 1998 | #327 | 901 | 0.0510% |
| 1997 | #276 | 1,061 | 0.0610% |
| 1996 | #233 | 1,211 | 0.0691% |
| 1995 | #242 | 1,175 | 0.0668% |
| 1994 | #230 | 1,230 | 0.0689% |
| 1993 | #200 | 1,479 | 0.0818% |
| 1992 | #196 | 1,518 | 0.0823% |
| 1991 | #193 | 1,559 | 0.0831% |
| 1990 | #169 | 1,714 | 0.0903% |
| 1989 | #158 | 1,809 | 0.0981% |
| 1988 | #159 | 1,802 | 0.1012% |
| 1987 | #149 | 1,813 | 0.1043% |
| 1986 | #162 | 1,733 | 0.1010% |
| 1985 | #155 | 1,837 | 0.1068% |
| 1984 | #155 | 1,825 | 0.1084% |
| 1983 | #150 | 1,914 | 0.1146% |
| 1982 | #146 | 2,009 | 0.1186% |
| 1981 | #144 | 1,959 | 0.1174% |
| 1980 | #147 | 1,929 | 0.1162% |
| 1979 | #138 | 2,053 | 0.1279% |
| 1978 | #130 | 2,176 | 0.1420% |
| 1977 | #129 | 2,197 | 0.1433% |
| 1976 | #129 | 2,115 | 0.1444% |
| 1975 | #119 | 2,346 | 0.1609% |
| 1974 | #118 | 2,472 | 0.1684% |
| 1973 | #116 | 2,568 | 0.1761% |
| 1972 | #110 | 2,993 | 0.1967% |
| 1971 | #104 | 3,610 | 0.2170% |
| 1970 | #84 | 4,518 | 0.2584% |
| 1969 | #71 | 5,130 | 0.3041% |
| 1968 | #61 | 5,538 | 0.3376% |
| 1967 | #60 | 5,719 | 0.3464% |
| 1966 | #60 | 6,120 | 0.3617% |
| 1965 | #58 | 6,966 | 0.3946% |
| 1964 | #56 | 8,066 | 0.4257% |
| 1963 | #56 | 8,124 | 0.4215% |
| 1962 | #46 | 9,693 | 0.4929% |
| 1961 | #42 | 10,509 | 0.5207% |
| 1960 | #43 | 9,402 | 0.4650% |
| 1959 | #42 | 9,726 | 0.4807% |
| 1958 | #37 | 10,816 | 0.5377% |
| 1957 | #33 | 11,575 | 0.5661% |
| 1956 | #33 | 10,634 | 0.5297% |
| 1955 | #30 | 11,178 | 0.5717% |
| 1954 | #27 | 12,153 | 0.6258% |
| 1953 | #25 | 12,918 | 0.6866% |
| 1952 | #24 | 14,272 | 0.7697% |
| 1951 | #22 | 15,208 | 0.8445% |
| 1950 | #20 | 15,587 | 0.9099% |
| 1949 | #17 | 17,404 | 1.0173% |
| 1948 | #14 | 18,623 | 1.0968% |
| 1947 | #15 | 20,741 | 1.1700% |
| 1946 | #12 | 19,902 | 1.2666% |
| 1945 | #12 | 17,244 | 1.3193% |
| 1944 | #11 | 18,670 | 1.4067% |
| 1943 | #11 | 20,364 | 1.4595% |
| 1942 | #10 | 19,977 | 1.4790% |
| 1941 | #11 | 16,273 | 1.3470% |
| 1940 | #15 | 12,657 | 1.1068% |
| 1939 | #14 | 11,290 | 1.0295% |
| 1938 | #15 | 10,586 | 0.9594% |
| 1937 | #20 | 8,940 | 0.8402% |
| 1936 | #23 | 7,907 | 0.7600% |
| 1935 | #28 | 6,967 | 0.6644% |
| 1934 | #33 | 6,473 | 0.6199% |
| 1933 | #41 | 5,042 | 0.5002% |
| 1932 | #46 | 4,587 | 0.4298% |
| 1931 | #60 | 4,008 | 0.3764% |
| 1930 | #72 | 3,725 | 0.3308% |
| 1929 | #77 | 3,272 | 0.2930% |
| 1928 | #91 | 2,847 | 0.2469% |
| 1927 | #99 | 2,806 | 0.2353% |
| 1926 | #114 | 2,415 | 0.2037% |
| 1925 | #127 | 2,189 | 0.1798% |
| 1924 | #127 | 2,222 | 0.1779% |
| 1923 | #132 | 2,010 | 0.1666% |
| 1922 | #144 | 1,706 | 0.1420% |
| 1921 | #146 | 1,753 | 0.1422% |
| 1920 | #150 | 1,556 | 0.1299% |
| 1919 | #165 | 1,330 | 0.1177% |
| 1918 | #167 | 1,329 | 0.1148% |
| 1917 | #164 | 1,223 | 0.1131% |
| 1916 | #163 | 1,216 | 0.1164% |
| 1915 | #168 | 1,096 | 0.1114% |
| 1914 | #169 | 835 | 0.1096% |
| 1913 | #170 | 676 | 0.1082% |
| 1912 | #189 | 517 | 0.0926% |
| 1911 | #185 | 387 | 0.0925% |
| 1910 | #199 | 331 | 0.0835% |
| 1909 | #194 | 299 | 0.0861% |
| 1908 | #200 | 280 | 0.0838% |
| 1907 | #254 | 184 | 0.0578% |
| 1906 | #235 | 184 | 0.0623% |
| 1905 | #213 | 210 | 0.0720% |
| 1904 | #227 | 183 | 0.0665% |
| 1903 | #241 | 157 | 0.0599% |
| 1902 | #224 | 179 | 0.0678% |
| 1901 | #237 | 148 | 0.0618% |
| 1900 | #231 | 185 | 0.0617% |
| 1899 | #231 | 141 | 0.0605% |
| 1898 | #225 | 169 | 0.0653% |
| 1897 | #227 | 145 | 0.0619% |
| 1896 | #227 | 149 | 0.0626% |
| 1895 | #227 | 148 | 0.0633% |
| 1894 | #219 | 147 | 0.0659% |
| 1893 | #211 | 146 | 0.0686% |
| 1892 | #239 | 122 | 0.0575% |
| 1891 | #230 | 110 | 0.0593% |
| 1890 | #217 | 124 | 0.0651% |
| 1889 | #199 | 133 | 0.0746% |
| 1888 | #203 | 123 | 0.0689% |
| 1887 | #208 | 97 | 0.0664% |
| 1886 | #222 | 82 | 0.0567% |
| 1885 | #209 | 86 | 0.0646% |
| 1884 | #218 | 75 | 0.0581% |
| 1883 | #234 | 58 | 0.0516% |
| 1882 | #217 | 62 | 0.0575% |
| 1881 | #195 | 60 | 0.0653% |
| 1880 | #163 | 80 | 0.0879% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | #7,941 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #6,609 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #5,438 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #3,338 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #5,266 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #4,002 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #3,914 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #4,088 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #4,256 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #3,918 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #4,652 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #3,889 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #5,007 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #4,918 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #3,638 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1977 | #3,414 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #5,013 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #4,379 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,889 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #3,043 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1972 | #2,677 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #4,023 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #2,639 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #2,058 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1968 | #2,041 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #1,511 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1966 | #1,729 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1965 | #1,674 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1964 | #1,550 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1963 | #1,378 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1962 | #1,480 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1961 | #1,606 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1960 | #1,628 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1959 | #1,362 | 33 | 0.0015% |
| 1958 | #1,375 | 32 | 0.0015% |
| 1957 | #1,586 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1956 | #1,363 | 32 | 0.0015% |
| 1955 | #1,373 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1954 | #1,385 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1953 | #1,380 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1952 | #1,198 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1951 | #1,244 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1950 | #1,472 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1949 | #1,348 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1948 | #1,128 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1947 | #1,064 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 1946 | #986 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 1945 | #900 | 50 | 0.0037% |
| 1944 | #745 | 69 | 0.0051% |
| 1943 | #741 | 76 | 0.0053% |
| 1942 | #841 | 60 | 0.0043% |
| 1941 | #820 | 60 | 0.0049% |
| 1940 | #942 | 46 | 0.0040% |
| 1939 | #994 | 41 | 0.0037% |
| 1938 | #1,012 | 40 | 0.0036% |
| 1937 | #942 | 44 | 0.0041% |
| 1936 | #1,209 | 30 | 0.0029% |
| 1935 | #1,426 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1934 | #1,466 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1933 | #1,599 | 19 | 0.0019% |
| 1932 | #2,010 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1931 | #1,780 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1930 | #1,649 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1929 | #2,623 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #2,883 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #3,201 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #2,962 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #4,446 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1923 | #3,517 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1917 | #4,075 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #2,477 | 10 | 0.0012% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Carolyn
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Most Popular Girl Names at All Time
Established Favorite Girl Names
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How the Name Carolyn Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Carolyn's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Carolyn's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.