Karol Unisex

Popularity: #903 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-ol //ˈkɛr.əl//

Origin: Slavic; Latin

Meaning: Slavic: free man; Latin: strong

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Karol has its roots in the Old Germanic name Karl, which means "free man." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, first appearing in Latin as Carolus. The name was adopted into Old French as Charles, which later influenced the English form Charles.

The transition into the feminine form Karol can be traced back to the 20th century, where it emerged as a variant of Caroline, itself derived from the Latin Carolina, a diminutive of Carolus. This linguistic journey illustrates the name's deep historical connections across different cultures and languages.

Historically, the name Charles has significant milestones, including its association with Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and Lombards in the late 8th and early 9th centuries, who was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 AD. The name has been borne by numerous kings and saints throughout history, including Charles I of England in the 17th century and various saints named Charles, such as Saint Charles Borromeo, a prominent figure in the Counter-Reformation during the 16th century.

The name's presence in the King James Bible, particularly in the context of biblical figures, has further solidified its historical significance. Culturally, the name Karol and its variants have been associated with notions of nobility and leadership, reflecting the qualities of freedom and strength inherent in its etymology.

The name has been embraced in various cultures, often symbolizing a connection to heritage and tradition. The diminutive form Carol is also noteworthy, as it has been used in various contexts, including literature and music, further enriching the name's cultural resonance.

Overall, Karol embodies a rich historical tapestry that spans centuries and cultures, reflecting enduring values and associations.

Famous people named Karol

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

We also feature individuals named Karol 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.

Karol Wojtyła is a religious leader best known for being Pope John Paul II, his role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, and his extensive travels around the world.

Karol G is a singer and songwriter best known for Tusa, Bichota, and Provenza.

Karol Szymanowski is a composer best known for his works Stabat Mater, King Roger, and Myths.

Fictional characters named Karol

The following list of fictional characters named Karol 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.

Karol is a fictional character from the video game series Tales of Vesperia. He is a young, spirited member of the party who serves as the group's scout and provides comic relief.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Karol, 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 Karol. 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 Karol was first seen in the United States in 1911.

Karol has ranked as high as #1160 nationally, which occurred in 2005, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, and New York.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Karol 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 Karol 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 Karol.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 45 0 45
2024 41 0 41
2023 67 6 61
2022 59 0 59
2021 62 10 52
2020 66 11 55
2019 77 5 72
2018 52 8 44
2017 50 14 36
2016 62 19 43
2015 84 18 66
2014 104 27 77
2013 90 24 66
2012 163 31 132
2011 137 37 100
2010 108 30 78
2009 136 39 97
2008 137 50 87
2007 212 63 149
2006 209 72 137
2005 448 132 316
2004 77 18 59
2003 41 7 34
2002 58 15 43
2001 53 14 39
2000 60 12 48
1999 60 15 45
1998 50 13 37
1997 39 9 30
1996 59 17 42
1995 44 12 32
1994 43 12 31
1993 49 17 32
1992 38 13 25
1991 43 8 35
1990 56 15 41
1989 38 11 27
1988 32 10 22
1987 32 7 25
1986 21 0 21
1985 23 8 15
1984 29 8 21
1983 39 7 32
1982 29 10 19
1981 22 0 22
1980 40 5 35
1979 43 13 30
1978 34 0 34
1977 27 0 27
1976 35 0 35
1975 34 0 34
1974 38 0 38
1973 59 5 54
1972 54 0 54
1971 83 0 83
1970 99 0 99
1969 115 5 110
1968 126 0 126
1967 144 5 139
1966 162 5 157
1965 181 0 181
1964 225 5 220
1963 190 0 190
1962 209 6 203
1961 232 6 226
1960 224 0 224
1959 258 5 253
1958 263 7 256
1957 257 6 251
1956 213 10 203
1955 223 9 214
1954 214 7 207
1953 198 8 190
1952 248 12 236
1951 214 9 205
1950 207 7 200
1949 190 6 184
1948 239 7 232
1947 267 17 250
1946 226 10 216
1945 223 12 211
1944 228 14 214
1943 197 13 184
1942 184 12 172
1941 164 13 151
1940 150 13 137
1939 129 17 112
1938 117 13 104
1937 97 11 86
1936 89 10 79
1935 65 16 49
1934 63 11 52
1933 47 9 38
1932 30 10 20
1931 22 9 13
1930 34 18 16
1929 20 9 11
1928 20 10 10
1927 19 10 9
1926 16 9 7
1925 20 13 7
1924 19 12 7
1923 18 12 6
1922 8 8 0
1921 25 17 8
1920 13 13 0
1919 11 11 0
1918 20 15 5
1917 20 20 0
1916 18 18 0
1915 16 16 0
1914 9 9 0
1911 5 5 0

Top States for Karol (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 8
38%
CA 8
38%
FL 5
24%