Given name & surname
Carina
“little darling”
Carina is used as a given name and a surname. One Latin interpretation is “little darling.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Latin interpretation is “little darling.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Latin, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In German usage, Carina is a short form of Katharina. In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Carina developed from Αἰκατερίνη.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 16,529
- 35 boys · 16,494 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 694 babies
- 2025
- 134
- #1,572 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 134 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,572 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 31.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 689 in 1995. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 18,338 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 74,348 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carina’s family of names
In German usage, Carina is a short form of Katharina. In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Carina developed from the Ancient Greek form Αἰκατερίνη. In German usage, Carina has a related form in Karina.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Carina has relatives in 12 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
13 related names in 12 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 23
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- CaraItalian
- Sarinaequivalent
- KarenaEnglish
- KarynaEnglish
- CarreenEnglish
- Careensee also · English
- Каринаequivalent
- Sarínaequivalent
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Carina
- Carina VogtGerman ski jumperborn 1992
- Carina WitthöftGerman tennis playerborn 1995
- Carina LauHong Kong actressborn 1965
- Carina BärGerman rowerborn 1990
- Carina WieseGerman actressborn 1968
- Carina BenningaDutch field hockey playerborn 1962
- Carina WenningerAustrian association football playerborn 1991
- Carina LjungdahlSwedish freestyle swimmerborn 1960
- Carina Hornsprinterborn 1989
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Carina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“woman of the sea”
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