Carolyn

Meaning: Free man
Origin: Variant of Caroline (from Germanic)

Girl's name · #1222 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Carolyn belongs to an older America first — it reached #10 back in 1942 — yet it still appears in today's records at #1222. About 557,000 girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Carolyn is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 26 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Carolyn ranks in other countries and regions.

#1,999 in Canada (2024).

Famous Carolyns

Carolyn Bertozzi — American chemist (born 1966)
Carolyn S. Shoemaker — American astronomer, researcher and university teacher
Carolyn Porco — American planetary scientist
Carolyn Jones — American actress (1930–1983)
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy — American publicist and socialite (1966–1999)

In stories & tradition

Carolyn Barek — Law & Order
Carolyn Lam^es — Stargate SG-1 (TV series)
Carolyn Stoddard — Dark Shadows (TV series)

What Carolyns become

Among 877 notable people named Carolyn:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.4× more often than among typical names — e.g. Carolyn Bertozzi, American chemist (born 1966).

Similar names: Karoline · Ann · Kathleen · Barbara · Charlene · Rosalyn

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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