How to say it
ca · ro · LI · na
ˌkær.əˈliː.nə
Feminine
Carolina
Free man (feminine)
What it means
The Latin, Italian, and Spanish feminine of Carolus (Charles), 'free man.'
Carolina is the Latinate feminine of Carolus, the Latin Charles, meaning 'free man.' The two US Carolinas were named for King Charles, and the name is a staple across Italy and Latin America, carried by designer Carolina Herrera. It is a fuller, more romantic cousin of Caroline and Carolyn. Caro, Lina, and Carol are the shorts. Said kar-uh-LEE-nah.
How to spell Carolina
The standard spelling is Carolina. Common variants include Caroline, Karolina, Carolyn, but Carolina is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #254 in 2004, currently #405 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Caro, Lina, and Carol all come from it.
- Worth knowing
Relation to Caroline/Charles; common across Italian and Latino communities, and the US Carolinas.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Carolina Herrera Venezuelan-American fashion designer
Spelling variants
- Caroline
- Karolina
- Carolyn
Names with the same feeling
See Carolina from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Carolina mean?
- The Latin, Italian, and Spanish feminine of Carolus (Charles), 'free man.'
- What does Carolina mean in Latin?
- In Latin, Carolina means "Free man (feminine)." Carolina is the Latinate feminine of Carolus, the Latin Charles, meaning 'free man.' The two US Carolinas were named for King Charles, and the name is a staple across Italy and Latin America, carried by designer Carolina Herrera. It is a fuller, more romantic cousin of Caroline and Carolyn. Caro, Lina, and Carol are the shorts. Said kar-uh-LEE-nah.
- How do you pronounce Carolina?
- Carolina is pronounced ˌkær.əˈliː.nə. Say it as ca-ro-LI-na, with the stress on the "li" syllable.
- How do you spell Carolina?
- The standard spelling is Carolina. Common spelling variants include Caroline, Karolina, Carolyn.
- Is Carolina a boy or girl name?
- Carolina is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Carolina?
- Carolina ranked #405 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.