Carol
Carol is a girl's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Free person; also associated with a song or hymn of joy.
Origin and history
Carol originated as a feminine form of Charles, which stems from the Germanic word for free man, though it also became associated with the English word for a joyful Christmas song. It was extraordinarily popular in the mid-20th century in the United States, ranking among the top feminine names for decades. While less common for newborns today, it remains a classic traditional choice.
Popularity in the United States
816,928 babies in the United States have been named Carol since 1880. It ranks #24 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1610.
States where it is most popular
- NY (10.6 %)
- PA (8 %)
- CA (7 %)
- IL (6.8 %)
- OH (6.5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 120 |
| 1890-1900 | 394 |
| 1900-1910 | 964 |
| 1910-1920 | 5,585 |
| 1920-1930 | 22,978 |
| 1930-1940 | 117,731 |
| 1940-1950 | 292,333 |
| 1950-1960 | 222,656 |
| 1960-1970 | 112,333 |
| 1970-1980 | 23,477 |
| 1980-1990 | 8,808 |
| 1990-2000 | 4,952 |
| 2000-2010 | 2,727 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,379 |
| 2020-2029 | 491 |
Famous people named Carol
- Carol Burnett: Comedian, Actress
- Carol Kane: Actress
- Carol King: Singer, Songwriter
Nicknames
Carrie, Cari, Care
Fun facts
- Carol was a top 10 girl name in the United States from 1936 to 1950.
- The name functions both as a short form of Caroline (from Charles) and directly from the vocabulary word for a song of praise.