Caroline
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Caroline
The origin of Caroline is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to German roots, with the meaning “Free (feminine of Charles)”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Caroline we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a classic feel. In 2025, Caroline ranked #96 for girls in the US, with 2,646 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2000. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Caroline were girls.
- US rank 2025
- #96
- In 2015
- #62
- Babies in 2025
- 2,646
Popularity of Caroline, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Caroline
- Carrie
- Caro
- Lina
Names similar to Caroline
- Alison“of noble kind”
- Allison“Noble”
- Adeline“Noble”
- Amelia“vigor, bravery”
- CamilaOrigin debated
- Christina“Christian (woman)”
- Christine“Christian (woman)”
- Corinne“girl, maiden, daughter”
- Cynthia“Cynthian (of or pertaining to Mount Cynthus, a mountain of Delos, celebrated as the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis)”
- EllaOrigin debated
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.