Caroline
How to say it: KARE-uh-line · /ˈkærəlaɪn/
French feminine form of Carolus (Charles), from Germanic 'Karl', meaning 'free man' or 'strong man'.
Caroline was the 118th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 2,646 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 38% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #174 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 | #118 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 2,646 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,199 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −38% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #174 |
| In France, 2025 | #756 among girls’ names, 40 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After fading toward the 1950s, Caroline returned to stand near its 1880s height. A slight easing downward is anticipated from here.
What goes with it
Mellow and graceful with soft sounds and an ease across borders, plus a royal association. Eleanor aligns in spirit, and Claire does too.
Middle names that flow with Caroline →
Parents who love Caroline also love
Nicknames
- Carrie
- Carol
- Caro
- Callie
- Lina
Honouring a Caroline in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Caroline is about 1 in 50.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #756 for girls in 2025.
Ireland: #387.
Famous people named Caroline
- Caroline Wozniacki (born 1990)Danish tennis player
- Caroline Kennedy (born 1957)American author and diplomat
- Caroline Herschel (1750–1848)German-British astronomer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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