girl's name
Caroline
KAR-uh-line
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 434,360
the United States
#96
2025 births
Caroline is a girl's name of Germanic origin meaning "free man," the French feminine of Charles by way of the Latin Carolus. Its meaning is inherited unchanged from Charles, which is why a name now given entirely to girls literally means free man.
- Caroline is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in 2000, when 5,029 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,253 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Caroline over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,743 |
| 1890s | 4,505 |
| 1900s | 4,276 |
| 1910s | 10,603 |
| 1920s | 12,707 |
| 1930s | 10,867 |
| 1940s | 11,638 |
| 1950s | 8,985 |
| 1960s | 16,791 |
| 1970s | 12,321 |
| 1980s | 18,033 |
| 1990s | 36,872 |
| 2000s | 41,897 |
| 2010s | 39,639 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 17,842 |
What Caroline means
Caroline means free man, from the Germanic karl, which denoted a free peasant rather than a noble. The feminine ending changed the grammar but not the sense, so the literal meaning sits oddly with modern use.
Where Caroline comes from
Caroline is the French Caroline, from the Latin Carolus, the learned form of Charles, itself from the Germanic karl meaning a free man. Latin was the language of European courts and charters, so a queen or princess named Charlotte in French might appear as Carolina in Latin documents — the two are the same name by different routes. Caroline reached England through the Hanoverians: Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, made it fashionable in the eighteenth century, and North and South Carolina were named for Charles I and Charles II using the same Latin form. The name has been in continuous English use since.
Caroline in use
The Carolinas are named for Charles I and II using Carolus, the same Latin form that produced Caroline.
How popular is Caroline?
In 2025, Caroline was given to 2,646 babies in the United States, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Caroline is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Caroline
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Caroline also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Caroline over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Caroline
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Caroline in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Caroline
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Caroline — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Caroline
What does the name Caroline mean?
Caroline means "free man," inherited from Charles and the Germanic karl.
Is Caroline related to Charles?
Yes. Caroline is the French feminine of Charles by way of the Latin Carolus.
Are the Carolinas named after the name?
Both come from Carolus — the states honor Charles I and Charles II.
How popular is the name Caroline?
In 2025, Caroline was given to 2,646 babies in the United States, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Caroline a girl's or a boy's name?
Caroline is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Caroline?
Caroline has 3 syllables.
When was Caroline most popular?
Caroline peaked in 2000, when 5,029 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Caroline?
Caroline is usually shortened to Caro, Lina and Carrie.
Is Caroline a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Caroline currently ranks #96 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.