Carole Girl

Popularity: #939 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

CatherineCharlotteClaireCarinaCassandraCelia

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.

CarmelCoralCarmenCarinaCarlyCassandraCatrinaCecilia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Carole was first seen in the United States in 1901.

Carole has ranked as high as #64 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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 9 0 9
2023 9 0 9
2020 7 0 7
2019 11 0 11
2018 10 0 10
2017 8 0 8
2016 11 0 11
2015 10 0 10
2014 11 0 11
2013 13 0 13
2012 6 0 6
2011 5 0 5
2010 10 0 10
2009 12 0 12
2008 16 0 16
2007 8 0 8
2006 17 0 17
2005 21 0 21
2004 20 0 20
2003 36 0 36
2002 30 0 30
2001 26 0 26
2000 24 0 24
1999 30 0 30
1998 29 0 29
1997 44 0 44
1996 48 0 48
1995 43 0 43
1994 56 0 56
1993 51 0 51
1992 48 0 48
1991 81 0 81
1990 92 0 92
1989 65 0 65
1988 87 0 87
1987 90 0 90
1986 70 0 70
1985 94 0 94
1984 95 0 95
1983 108 0 108
1982 100 0 100
1981 118 0 118
1980 114 0 114
1979 128 0 128
1978 133 0 133
1977 150 0 150
1976 140 0 140
1975 189 0 189
1974 192 0 192
1973 219 0 219
1972 289 0 289
1971 347 0 347
1970 422 0 422
1969 532 0 532
1968 612 0 612
1967 703 0 703
1966 756 0 756
1965 897 0 897
1964 1,164 0 1,164
1963 1,152 0 1,152
1962 1,382 0 1,382
1961 1,686 7 1,679
1960 1,689 0 1,689
1959 1,416 0 1,416
1958 1,510 0 1,510
1957 1,610 0 1,610
1956 1,418 0 1,418
1955 1,426 0 1,426
1954 1,507 0 1,507
1953 1,635 0 1,635
1952 1,836 0 1,836
1951 1,959 0 1,959
1950 2,218 0 2,218
1949 2,764 0 2,764
1948 3,320 7 3,313
1947 3,833 7 3,826
1946 4,635 14 4,621
1945 4,853 11 4,842
1944 6,285 17 6,268
1943 6,534 28 6,506
1942 8,440 33 8,407
1941 4,987 21 4,966
1940 4,813 23 4,790
1939 4,692 13 4,679
1938 4,628 12 4,616
1937 4,217 19 4,198
1936 3,210 11 3,199
1935 2,694 14 2,680
1934 2,664 9 2,655
1933 2,161 12 2,149
1932 1,323 6 1,317
1931 850 0 850
1930 425 0 425
1929 326 0 326
1928 250 0 250
1927 213 0 213
1926 204 0 204
1925 218 0 218
1924 204 0 204
1923 184 0 184
1922 159 0 159
1921 143 0 143
1920 103 0 103
1919 82 0 82
1918 92 0 92
1917 82 0 82
1916 67 0 67
1915 50 0 50
1914 44 0 44
1913 31 0 31
1912 25 0 25
1911 10 0 10
1910 9 0 9
1909 13 0 13
1901 5 0 5

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 5
100%