Carolina
How to say it: kair-uh-LY-nuh · /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/
Feminine form of Carolus (Charles); from Germanic meaning 'free man'. Also a geographic name.
Carolina was the 348th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 769 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are up about 10% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #322 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #348 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 769 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,504 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | +10% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #322 |
| In France, 2025 | #806 among girls’ names, 25 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long in use, Carolina saw its fullest moment in the 2000s. Still close to that moment, renewed growth looks ahead.
What goes with it
Flowing across four syllables with a soft roll, Carolina travels easily and nods to place. Lina trims it nicely, and Mariana keeps similar music.
Parents who love Carolina also love
Nicknames
- Carol
- Caro
- Lina
- Carrie
Honouring a Carolina in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Carolina is about 1 in 146.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #806 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Carolina
- Carolina Klüft (born 1983)Swedish heptathlete and long jumper
- Carolina Kostner (born 1987)Italian figure skater
- Carolina Marín (born 1993)Spanish badminton player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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