Caroline Name Meaning

With a meaning as enviable as “free woman,” Caroline is a beautiful name for a little girl. A French feminine form of Charles, she’s also a clever way to honor a father or other relative bearing the name.

Caroline has always hovered in a sweet spot of popularity, never quite reaching the heights of being overused or trendy. She’s vintage of course, but not at all dated, a classic choice in a field packed with unisex monikers and surname names. She does manage to keep in step with the current trend of -line endings seen in Madeline and Adeline, however.

A sweet name with an interesting history, given to princesses, first ladies, and first daughters alike. She’s just as posh as today’s chart darling Charlotte but free of the sudden surge of popularity. She’ll always be a sophisticated choice, a proper name with good bones for growth.

While Caroline is a classy choice for a grown woman, she always wears well on a curious little girl. Delicate and delightful, Caroline is sure to be a little one eager to learn more about the world around her. She has several nicknames for parents to choose from including Carrie, Lina, and Carol. She also has a few variations like Carolyn and Carolina.

Infographic of Caroline name meaning, which is A French form of Charles, Caroline means free man.
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Caroline Name Popularity

How popular is the name Caroline? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 518 0.1471%
1911 — 517 0.1388%
1912 — 767 0.1521%
1913 — 764 0.1348%
1914 — 954 0.1369%
1915 — 1,382 0.1521%
1916 — 1,370 0.1418%
1917 — 1,355 0.1354%
1918 — 1,438 0.134%
1919 — 1,279 0.1221%
1920 — 1,419 0.1276%
1921 — 1,409 0.123%
1922 — 1,247 0.1119%
1923 — 1,288 0.115%
1924 — 1,282 0.1104%
1925 — 1,168 0.1033%
1926 — 1,193 0.1085%
1927 — 1,144 0.1033%
1928 — 1,163 0.1087%
1929 — 1,155 0.1115%
1930 — 1,138 0.1089%
1931 — 1,098 0.1112%
1932 — 1,077 0.109%
1933 — 1,032 0.1108%
1934 — 1,025 0.106%
1935 — 1,043 0.1073%
1936 — 1,053 0.1093%
1937 — 1,074 0.109%
1938 — 1,098 0.1073%
1939 — 988 0.0971%
1940 — 1,145 0.1077%
1941 — 1,154 0.1025%
1942 — 1,375 0.1089%
1943 — 1,337 0.1024%
1944 — 1,197 0.0966%
1945 — 988 0.081%
1946 — 1,079 0.0731%
1947 — 1,120 0.0671%
1948 — 1,067 0.0668%
1949 — 992 0.0617%
1950 — 857 0.0532%
1951 — 900 0.0531%
1952 — 890 0.051%
1953 — 866 0.0489%
1954 — 746 0.0408%
1955 — 701 0.0381%
1956 — 662 0.0351%
1957 — 1,111 0.0577%
1958 — 963 0.051%
1959 — 1,022 0.0538%
1960 — 1,187 0.0626%
1961 — 2,191 0.1161%
1962 — 1,982 0.108%
1963 — 1,678 0.0935%
1964 — 2,101 0.1194%
1965 — 1,799 0.11%
1966 — 1,537 0.0984%
1967 — 1,429 0.0942%
1968 — 1,388 0.0924%
1969 — 1,331 0.0864%
1970 — 1,358 0.0853%
1971 — 1,190 0.0792%
1972 — 1,034 0.0759%
1973 — 1,080 0.0833%
1974 — 1,167 0.0898%
1975 — 1,217 0.0947%
1976 — 1,212 0.094%
1977 — 1,175 0.0872%
1978 — 1,289 0.0959%
1979 — 1,330 0.0943%
1980 — 1,282 0.0877%
1981 — 1,366 0.0929%
1982 — 1,511 0.1011%
1983 — 1,461 0.099%
1984 — 1,614 0.1085%
1985 — 1,738 0.1145%
1986 — 1,777 0.1177%
1987 — 2,032 0.1332%
1988 — 2,307 0.148%
1989 — 2,647 0.164%
1990 — 2,813 0.1697%
1991 — 2,826 0.1734%
1992 — 3,162 0.1981%
1993 — 3,072 0.197%
1994 — 3,435 0.2238%
1995 — 3,790 0.2515%
1996 — 4,458 0.2977%
1997 — 4,431 0.2996%
1998 — 4,259 0.2846%
1999 — 4,463 0.298%
2000 — 5,010 0.328%
2001 — 4,851 0.322%
2002 — 4,640 0.3096%
2003 — 4,572 0.3005%
2004 — 4,369 0.2867%
2005 — 3,963 0.2592%
2006 — 3,780 0.2414%
2007 — 3,390 0.2149%
2008 — 3,534 0.2287%
2009 — 3,610 0.2415%
2010 — 3,347 0.2323%
2011 — 3,355 0.2355%
2012 — 3,403 0.2388%
2013 — 3,976 0.2793%
2014 — 4,339 0.2978%
2015 — 4,313 0.2964%
2016 — 4,422 0.3067%
2017 — 4,270 0.3059%
2018 — 4,127 0.3004%
2019 — 3,895 0.2877%
2020 — 3,285 0.2581%
2021 — 2,958 0.242%
2022 — 3,005 0.2278%
2023 — 2,860 0.221%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Caroline

If you like Caroline, you’ll love these other names like Caroline.


What names are diminutives of Caroline?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Caroline sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Caroline, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Caddy

Clarity, whiteness; free man

Latin

Callie

Beautiful one

Greek

Carey

Love

Gaelic

Cari

Love

Gaelic

Carla

Free man

German

Carley

Free man

Latin

Carly

Free man

Latin

Carol

Free man

German

Carri

Free man; pure

Greek

Carrie

Free man

German

Carry

Beloved; friend; free man

Latin

Cary

Love; free man

German

Karla

Free man

German

Karli

Free man

Slavic

Karlie

Free man

Slavic

Leena

Light; free man; palm tree

Slavic

Lina

Palm tree

Latin


What names are variants of Caroline?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Caroline.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Caraleen

Free man

German

Caraleena

Free man

German

Caralin

Beloved; friend; free man

Latin

Caraline

Free man

German

Caralyn

Beloved; friend; free man

Latin

Caralyne

Free man

German

Caralynn

Free man

German

Carileen

Free man

German

Carilena

Free man

German

Carilyn

Free man

German

Carilynne

Free man

German

Carlan

Free man

German

Carleen

Free man

Latin

Carleena

Free man

German

Carlein

Free man

German

Carlen

Free man

German

Carlene

Free man

German

Carlin

Little champion

Gaelic

Carlina

Free man

German

Carlinda

Free man

German

Carline

Free man

Latin

Carlita

Free man

Latin

Carllen

Free man

German

Carlota

Free man

Italian

Carlotta

The Italian equivalent of Charlotte, the feminine form of Charles, meaning “full-grown manhood.”

Italian

Carlyn

Free man

German

Carlyna

Free man

German

Carlyne

Free man

Latin

Carlynn

Free man

German

Carlynne

Free man

German

Carola

Free man

German

Carolan

Free man

German

Carolann

Free man

German

Carolanne

Free man

German

Carolein

Free man

German

Caroliana

Free man

German

Carolin

Free man

German

Carolina

Free man

German

Carollyn

Free man

German

Carolyn

Free man

German

Carolyne

Free man

German

Carolynn

Free man

German

Carolynne

Free man

German

Carrolyn

Free man

German

Charla

Free man

German

Charleen

Free man

German

Charleena

Free man

German

Charlena

Free man

German

Charlene

Free man

German

Charline

Free man

German

Charlyne

Free man

German

Karaleen

Free man

German

Karaleena

Free man

German

Karalina

Free man

German

Karaline

Free man

Slavic

Karalyn

Free man

Slavic

Karalynna

Free man

Slavic

Karalynne

Free man

Slavic

Karelyn

Free man

German

Karilyn

Free man

German

Karilynn

Free man

German

Karleen

English

Karlein

Free man

German

Karlen

Free man

Slavic

Karlena

Free man

Slavic

Karlene

Free man

Slavic

Karlina

Free man

Slavic

Karlinka

Free man

Slavic

Karolin

Free man

German

Karolina

Free man

Slavic

Karoline

Free man

Slavic

Karolinka

Free man

Slavic

Karolyn

Free man

Slavic

Karolyna

Free man

Slavic

Karolyne

Free man

Slavic

Karolynn

Free man

Slavic

Karolynne

Free man

Slavic

Roline

German

Sharkeen

Free man

German

Sharla

Free man; a fertile plain

Hebrew

Sharlena

Free man

German

Sharlene

Free man

German

Sharline

Free man

German

Sharlyne

Free man

German


What names sound like Caroline?

If you like how Caroline sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Caroline.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Adeline

Noble one

German

Carling

Little champion

Gaelic

Carolena

Free man

German

Carolien

Free man

German

Carolinda

Free man

German

Coraline

A variant form of Coral.

Latin

Karina

Love

Scandinavian

Karline

Free man

Latin

Katrina

A German form of Catherine.

Greek

Madeline

Woman from Magdala

English


What names are similar to Caroline?

Find a name that’s like Caroline, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Alice

Of nobility

German

Beatrice

Voyager (through life); blessed

Latin

Bethany

House of figs

Hebrew

Elizabeth

God is my oath

Hebrew

Grace

Gracious one

English

Helen

Sun ray, shining light

Greek

Lucille

Of the light

French

Meredith

Great, noted ruler

Welsh

Olive

Olive tree

English

Rebecca

To join

Hebrew


Lists With Caroline

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Caroline.


Siblings of Caroline

Mamas with kids named Caroline also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
James

Supplanter

English

18 Comments

  1. It is my name and I love that it is classic and beautiful.
    Free and independent

  2. We chose the name Caroline (pronounced CaroLINE not “Carolynn“) after my great grandmother. Her name means “free woman”, and I love that! She is already showing her independence in her little personality. 🙂

  3. When I was pregnant and found out I was having 2 BABY GIRLS I was going crazy because I didn’t have a name for the second daughter! I always had loved the name Arabella and the meaning, but I never thought it went well with the name I had in mind which was the name Addison. I wasn’t sure what names would go well with Addison, but then I started thinking about my middle name! Which is Caroline. Caroline has been a name in our family for a lot of generations but most of the name Caroline was used as a middle name in my family. My great grandmothers name was Carolynne but not Caroline. When I said “Addison and Caroline” to myself, I thought those names went perfectly with each other, so we ended up naming them Addison Jade and Caroline Amalia

  4. Karoline is such a beautiful name, and that’s my name!

    • However, your name is with a K instead of a C

  5. If all us karolines get together we could run this world easy ! Come on lady’s let’s do it

  6. This is just wonderful it’s my own name and I still can believe what it says

  7. I love the name Caroline because it’s my name! I love the name because it is from France and I love Paris and it reminds me of Charles dickens

  8. my husband and I just love old-fashioned names, Caroline is our 3rd kid. our oldest is Arthur, then Margaret and we thought it went together. She is such a fun kid, her name really suits her. We chose the middle name Harriet because of my great aunt. Arthur has the middle name, Walter, from my great-great-uncle. We love going through our family tree and find names. Margaret’s middle name is Clara my grandmother’s cousin’s name. If you’re looking to find old-fashioned names just go through your family tree!

  9. Caroline is a classic name that is timeless and isn’t overly popular. Feminine and sweet, it also has family significance in our family as well.

  10. My youngest daughter gave birth to my 3rd Granddaughter a few days ago (my eldest daughter has two girls) and has named her Caroline Catherine ! This came as a surprise to me but I’m overjoyed by the choice of this beautiful and classic name 🙂 You don’t hear it that often but It’s a lovely name which sounds feminine and classy ( Princess Caroline of Monaco , Caroline Kennedy ) 🙂

  11. Caroline Rose has a southern bell feel to it which was reflective of my time spent growing up in the south. We also have a daughter named Magnolia so I wanted to continue the flower theme.

  12. Vampire Diaries was my guilty pleasure show during our ttc time and the first trimester fatigue and nausea. Caroline was my favorite character.

  13. I am a 5th Generation Houstonian and I met and fell in love with a guy from small town South Carolina, his family all traces back to North and South Carolina…so when we found out we were pregnant on our Honeymoon with our Wedding Night Baby…at first we thought she was a boy and he is a III so we thought we knew his name because he would be a IV but instead we have a girl and ever since I met Trey I loved the name “Caroline” after him being from South “Carolina” so Caroline it was and her middle name is a family name of Elizabeth

  14. We chose Caroline because grandma’s middle names are Carol and Caroline, plus we loved the timelessness of a classic name.

  15. I’ve always loved the name as long as I can remember!

  16. We named our daughter after her maternal and paternal great-grandmothers. Her maternal great-grandmother is still alive and her name is Carolyn so we chose Caroline instead. Her paternal great-grandmother is no longer living and her name was Jessie Ruth so we chose the Ruth part of her name as my baby’s middle name. I think Caroline is a wonderfully old-fashioned name that isn’t used enough anymore.

  17. Her great grandmother on dad’s side was Carol. We liked the song as well!


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