Given name & surname
Carli
“from the farmer's meadow”·“a free woman”
Carli is a variant of Carley. One English interpretation is “from the farmer's meadow.” Carli is a variant of Carla. In Latin use, Carla carries the interpretation “a free woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Carli is a variant of Carley. One English interpretation is “from the farmer's meadow.” Carli is a variant of Carla. In Latin use, Carla carries the interpretation “a free woman.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Carli is a variant of Carley. An origin associated with Carley is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1957. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carli through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,972
- 5 boys · 8,967 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 365 babies
- 2025
- 45
- #3,408 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −51%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 45 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,408 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 51.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 365 in 1996. In 2025, California and Florida shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,179 as a first name in 2020; 850 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carli’s family of names
In German usage, Carli has a conventional equivalent in the English form Carol. In German usage, Carli has a related form in Carl. Carli has a related form in Carla.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Karlavariant · German
- Carlyvariant · English, German
- Carlavariant · German
- Carlvariant · German
- Karlvariant · German
- Carlievariant · German
- Karlivariant · German
- Carleyvariant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Carli
- Carli LloydAmerican soccer player (born 1982)
- Carli LloydAmerican volleyball playerborn 1989
- Carli NorrisEnglish actressborn 1973
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carli, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Arly
“from the meadow of the hare” · “an oath; a pledge”
23% boys · 77% girls
Hally
“from the hall near the meadow” · “from the hall”
>99% girls
Coral
Coral is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “resembling the semiprecious sea growth; from the reef.”
>99% girls
Harlie
“from the meadow of the hares”
>99% girls
Maira
“star of the sea” · “from the sea of bitterness”
>99% girls
Yasmine
“resembling the jasmine flower”
>99% girls
Dalia
“dahlia” · “one who is gentle”
>99% girls
Marisol
“woman of the sea”
>99% girls