How to say it
CAR · o · line
/ˈkɛr.ə.laɪn/
Feminine
Caroline
Free woman
What it means
Feminine form of Charles, from Germanic karl, 'free man.' The two queen Carolines of 18th-century England and the Sweet Caroline of 1969 cover most of the cultural surface.
Caroline is the French feminine of Charles, which comes from the Germanic karl, 'free man.' The name reached England with Caroline of Ansbach (queen consort to George II) and Caroline of Brunswick (queen consort to George IV); both were divisive figures who kept the name in headlines. The American state of Carolina was named for King Charles I via the Latin Carolus; Caroline as a US first name picked up in the 19th century and has been steady since. Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline (1969) cemented it as a sing-along. Carrie, Caro, Lina, and the French Coco all circulate as shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #55 in 2017, currently #96 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Caroline and Carolyn are both common in the US; Caroline reads slightly older and more European, Carolyn slightly more mid-century American. Same root, different feel.
- Nickname
Carrie, Caro, Lina, and the French Coco all circulate. Carrie crossed to a separate given name decades ago.
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.
- Caroline of Ansbach Queen consort to George II of Britain, namesake of the Carolinas
- Caroline Kennedy JFK's daughter, US Ambassador to Japan and Australia
- Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond) 1969 song; written for Caroline Kennedy as a child
Spelling variants
- Carolyn
- Carolina
- Karoline
Names with the same feeling
See Caroline from another angle
By meaning
By style