Carolyn Girl

Popularity: #763 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-uh-lin //ˈkɛr.ə.lɪn//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: free man; French: song of happiness

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Carolyn is derived from the name Caroline, which has its roots in the Latin name Carolus, meaning "free man." The Latin Carolus evolved from the Germanic name Karl, which also carries the same meaning. The transition into English occurred through the Old French form Caroline, which became popular in the 17th century.

The name Carolyn emerged as a variant in the 20th century, reflecting a trend in English-speaking countries to create feminine forms of traditionally masculine names. Historically, the name Caroline has been borne by several notable figures, including Caroline of Ansbach, the wife of King George II of Great Britain, who reigned in the 18th century.

The name gained further prominence through literary works and royal associations, contributing to its enduring presence in various cultures. The name Carolyn itself became more widely recognized in the United States in the 19th century, particularly after the publication of the book "The Carolyn" in the early 1900s, which helped popularize the variant.

Culturally, the name Carolyn has been associated with qualities of strength and independence, resonating with the original meaning of "free man." This connection to freedom and individuality has allowed the name to maintain its appeal across generations. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Carol or Carrie have also emerged, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry.

Overall, Carolyn reflects a blend of historical significance and linguistic evolution, embodying a sense of heritage that continues to be appreciated.

Famous people named Carolyn

In this section, you will find notable people named Carolyn. 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 Carolyn who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Carolyn 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.

Carolyn Jones is an actress best known for The Addams Family, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Bachelor Party.

Carolyn McCormick is an actress best known for Law & Order, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The Last Temptation of Christ.

Carolyn Porco is a planetary scientist best known for her work on the Cassini-Huygens mission and imaging of Saturn's moons.

Carolyn Murphy is a model and actress best known for her work with Estée Lauder, and appearances in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was a fashion designer best known for her work with Calvin Klein and her iconic style.

Fictional characters named Carolyn

The following list of fictional characters named Carolyn 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.

Carolyn is a fictional character from the TV series Mad Men. She is a secretary who works at the Sterling Cooper advertising agency and is known for her ambition and determination.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carolyn, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

CatherineCharlotteCassandraCeciliaCynthiaClara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carolyn. 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.

CarolineCarmenCassandraCeciliaCynthiaCarlyCarlynCallie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Carolyn was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Carolyn has ranked as high as #33 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Texas, New York, California, Ohio, and North Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Carolyn has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Carolyn 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 Carolyn 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 Carolyn.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 185 0 185
2024 207 0 207
2023 228 0 228
2022 194 0 194
2021 218 0 218
2020 270 0 270
2019 282 0 282
2018 313 0 313
2017 326 0 326
2016 352 0 352
2015 377 0 377
2014 375 0 375
2013 347 0 347
2012 361 0 361
2011 371 0 371
2010 378 0 378
2009 426 0 426
2008 448 0 448
2007 495 0 495
2006 587 0 587
2005 626 0 626
2004 731 0 731
2003 701 0 701
2002 822 0 822
2001 870 0 870
2000 1,031 0 1,031
1999 1,037 0 1,037
1998 901 0 901
1997 1,061 0 1,061
1996 1,210 0 1,210
1995 1,181 6 1,175
1994 1,230 0 1,230
1993 1,479 0 1,479
1992 1,518 0 1,518
1991 1,566 7 1,559
1990 1,723 9 1,714
1989 1,826 17 1,809
1988 1,810 8 1,802
1987 1,824 11 1,813
1986 1,744 11 1,733
1985 1,847 10 1,837
1984 1,834 9 1,825
1983 1,924 10 1,914
1982 2,017 8 2,009
1981 1,968 10 1,958
1980 1,935 7 1,928
1979 2,060 7 2,053
1978 2,186 10 2,176
1977 2,208 11 2,197
1976 2,121 6 2,115
1975 2,353 7 2,346
1974 2,479 8 2,471
1973 2,580 11 2,569
1972 3,005 13 2,992
1971 3,616 7 3,609
1970 4,531 13 4,518
1969 5,146 17 5,129
1968 5,554 16 5,538
1967 5,745 26 5,719
1966 6,141 20 6,121
1965 6,987 22 6,965
1964 8,092 26 8,066
1963 8,156 32 8,124
1962 9,720 28 9,692
1961 10,534 25 10,509
1960 9,428 25 9,403
1959 9,760 33 9,727
1958 10,846 32 10,814
1957 11,600 25 11,575
1956 10,666 32 10,634
1955 11,210 31 11,179
1954 12,183 30 12,153
1953 12,949 30 12,919
1952 14,310 38 14,272
1951 15,241 35 15,206
1950 15,613 25 15,588
1949 17,433 29 17,404
1948 18,663 40 18,623
1947 20,788 46 20,742
1946 19,949 47 19,902
1945 17,294 50 17,244
1944 18,739 69 18,670
1943 20,441 76 20,365
1942 20,038 60 19,978
1941 16,333 60 16,273
1940 12,703 46 12,657
1939 11,331 41 11,290
1938 10,626 40 10,586
1937 8,985 44 8,941
1936 7,936 30 7,906
1935 6,990 23 6,967
1934 6,494 22 6,472
1933 5,062 19 5,043
1932 4,601 14 4,587
1931 4,025 17 4,008
1930 3,745 20 3,725
1929 3,282 10 3,272
1928 2,856 9 2,847
1927 2,814 8 2,806
1926 2,415 0 2,415
1925 2,198 9 2,189
1924 2,227 5 2,222
1923 2,017 7 2,010
1922 1,706 0 1,706
1921 1,753 0 1,753
1920 1,556 0 1,556
1919 1,330 0 1,330
1918 1,329 0 1,329
1917 1,228 5 1,223
1916 1,216 0 1,216
1915 1,106 10 1,096
1914 835 0 835
1913 676 0 676
1912 517 0 517
1911 387 0 387
1910 331 0 331
1909 299 0 299
1908 280 0 280
1907 184 0 184
1906 184 0 184
1905 210 0 210
1904 183 0 183
1903 157 0 157
1902 179 0 179
1901 148 0 148
1900 185 0 185
1899 141 0 141
1898 169 0 169
1897 145 0 145
1896 149 0 149
1895 148 0 148
1894 147 0 147
1893 146 0 146
1892 122 0 122
1891 110 0 110
1890 124 0 124
1889 133 0 133
1888 123 0 123
1887 97 0 97
1886 82 0 82
1885 86 0 86
1884 75 0 75
1883 58 0 58
1882 62 0 62
1881 60 0 60
1880 80 0 80

Top States for Carolyn (2024)

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
TX 21
14%
OH 17
11%
NY 14
9%
CA 12
8%
MI 10
7%
NC 10
7%
PA 10
7%
FL 9
6%
AL 8
5%
GA 8
5%
LA 7
5%
VA 6
4%
IL 6
4%
KY 5
3%
MD 5
3%
OK 5
3%