girl's name
Carys
KAR-iss
- Origin Welsh
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 8,916
Scotland
#454
2024 births
Carys is a Welsh girl's name meaning "love," formed from caru, the Welsh verb "to love." It's a modern Welsh creation rather than a medieval name, first used in the twentieth century, and it's unrelated to the Greek name Charis despite the similar look.
- Carys is a name of Welsh origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 2004, when 389 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 15,498 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Carys Over Time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 860 |
| 2000s | 2,698 |
| 2010s | 1,303 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 263 |
What Carys Means
Carys means love or loved one. It rests on the Welsh verb caru and the related word câr, a dear friend or kinsman, so the sense is warm and personal.
Where Carys Comes From
Carys was formed in Wales in the twentieth century from caru, to love. It belongs to a wave of Welsh creations that gave parents new names from native words. The sound comes close to Latin carus, dear, and the two words are distant cousins, but the name was made from Welsh. The name Charis, from Greek for grace, is a separate root despite the look of the spelling. Cerys is an alternate form, and it's the spelling many people know from Welsh musician Cerys Matthews.
Carys in Use
The name found an international audience in 2003, when Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas named their daughter Carys. Welsh bearers include the rugby player Carys Phillips.
How Popular Is Carys?
In 2025, Carys was given to 34 babies in England and Wales. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Carys Is Used
Figures for England and Wales leave out any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Carys
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Carys Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Carys over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Carys
- Pronunciation KAR-iss
Carys 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 Carys
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Carys — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Carys
What does the name Carys mean?
Love, from the Welsh verb caru, to love.
How do you pronounce Carys?
KARE-iss in Wales, rhyming roughly with Paris with a longer first vowel.
Is Carys the same as Cerys?
They're variant spellings of one modern Welsh name.
How popular is the name Carys?
In 2025, Carys was given to 34 babies in England and Wales. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Carys a girl's or a boy's name?
Carys is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Carys?
Carys has 2 syllables.
When was Carys most popular?
Carys peaked in 2004, when 389 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Carys a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Carys currently ranks #454 in England and Wales. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.