Carole Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-uhl //ˈkɛr.əl//
Origin: French; English
Meaning: French: free man; English: strong
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Carole has its roots in the Old French name "Carole," which is derived from the Germanic name "Karl," meaning "free man." The name Karl evolved into various forms across different languages, including the Latin "Carolus," which was used in medieval texts. The transition into English occurred through Norman influence after the Conquest of England in the 11th century, where the name began to be adopted in various forms, including Carol and Carole, particularly as a feminine variant.
Historically, the name Carole has been associated with notable figures, including Saint Carolus Borromeo, a 16th-century cardinal and reformer in the Catholic Church, who was canonized in 1610. The name gained further prominence through literary works, such as Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" published in 1843, which popularized the term "carol" as a song of joy, particularly during the Christmas season.
The name's association with music and celebration has contributed to its enduring appeal. Culturally, Carole has been linked to themes of joy and festivity, often evoking images of communal singing and celebration.
The name has also been used in various artistic contexts, reinforcing its connection to creativity and expression. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Carrie" have emerged, further enriching the name's historical tapestry.
Overall, Carole reflects a blend of linguistic evolution and cultural significance that has allowed it to resonate through centuries.
Famous people named Carole
In this section, you will find notable people named Carole. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carole who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Carole who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Carole King is a singer-songwriter best known for Tapestry, You've Got a Friend, and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.
Carole Lombard is an actress best known for My Man Godfrey, To Be or Not to Be, and Nothing Sacred.
Carole Bayer Sager is a songwriter best known for writing hits like That's What Friends Are For, Arthur's Theme, and Don't Cry Out Loud.
Carole Radziwill is a television personality and author best known for her role on The Real Housewives of New York City and her book What Remains.
Fictional characters named Carole
The following list of fictional characters named Carole is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Carole is a fictional character from the film Carole & Tuesday. She is a young musician striving to make her mark in a futuristic world dominated by artificial intelligence.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carole, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carole. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Carole was first seen in the United States in 1901.
Carole has ranked as high as #63 nationally, which occurred in 1942, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Carole has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Carole is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carole was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Carole (2001)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carole.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2006 | 17 |
| 2005 | 21 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2003 | 36 |
| 2002 | 30 |
| 2001 | 26 |
| 2000 | 24 |
| 1999 | 30 |
| 1998 | 29 |
| 1997 | 44 |
| 1996 | 48 |
| 1995 | 43 |
| 1994 | 56 |
| 1993 | 51 |
| 1992 | 48 |
| 1991 | 81 |
| 1990 | 92 |
| 1989 | 65 |
| 1988 | 87 |
| 1987 | 90 |
| 1986 | 70 |
| 1985 | 94 |
| 1984 | 95 |
| 1983 | 108 |
| 1982 | 100 |
| 1981 | 118 |
| 1980 | 114 |
| 1979 | 128 |
| 1978 | 133 |
| 1977 | 150 |
| 1976 | 140 |
| 1975 | 189 |
| 1974 | 192 |
| 1973 | 219 |
| 1972 | 289 |
| 1971 | 347 |
| 1970 | 422 |
| 1969 | 532 |
| 1968 | 612 |
| 1967 | 703 |
| 1966 | 755 |
| 1965 | 897 |
| 1964 | 1,164 |
| 1963 | 1,152 |
| 1962 | 1,382 |
| 1961 | 1,678 |
| 1960 | 1,689 |
| 1959 | 1,416 |
| 1958 | 1,510 |
| 1957 | 1,610 |
| 1956 | 1,418 |
| 1955 | 1,426 |
| 1954 | 1,507 |
| 1953 | 1,635 |
| 1952 | 1,836 |
| 1951 | 1,959 |
| 1950 | 2,218 |
| 1949 | 2,764 |
| 1948 | 3,313 |
| 1947 | 3,826 |
| 1946 | 4,621 |
| 1945 | 4,842 |
| 1944 | 6,268 |
| 1943 | 6,506 |
| 1942 | 8,407 |
| 1941 | 4,966 |
| 1940 | 4,790 |
| 1939 | 4,679 |
| 1938 | 4,616 |
| 1937 | 4,198 |
| 1936 | 3,199 |
| 1935 | 2,680 |
| 1934 | 2,655 |
| 1933 | 2,149 |
| 1932 | 1,317 |
| 1931 | 850 |
| 1930 | 425 |
| 1929 | 326 |
| 1928 | 250 |
| 1927 | 213 |
| 1926 | 204 |
| 1925 | 218 |
| 1924 | 204 |
| 1923 | 184 |
| 1922 | 159 |
| 1921 | 143 |
| 1920 | 103 |
| 1919 | 82 |
| 1918 | 92 |
| 1917 | 82 |
| 1916 | 67 |
| 1915 | 50 |
| 1914 | 44 |
| 1913 | 31 |
| 1912 | 25 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1910 | 9 |
| 1909 | 13 |
| 1901 | 5 |