Given name & surname
Carolyn
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”·“the little champion”
In English use, Carolyn has a related form in Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.” Carolyn is a variant of Carollan. One Irish interpretation is “the little champion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Carolyn has a related form in Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.” Carolyn is a variant of Carollan. One Irish interpretation is “the little champion.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Carolyn is a variant of Carollan. An origin associated with Carollan is Irish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carolyn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 558,397
- 1,620 boys · 556,777 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 20,788 babies
- 2025
- 185
- #1,222 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −33%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 185 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,222 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 33.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 20,742 in 1947. In 2025, Ohio and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 384,056 as a first name in 2020; 149 as a surname in 2000.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carolyn’s family of names
In English usage, Carolyn has a diminutive in Carol. In English usage, Carolyn has a related form in Caroline. In German usage, Carolyn has a short form in Lynn.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Carolyn has relatives in 3 languages.
6 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Carolinaequivalent
- Karolinaequivalent
- Karolineequivalent
- Karolynequivalent
- Carolyneequivalent
- Caroleenaequivalent
- Karlijnequivalent
- Carolienequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
People named Carolyn
- Carol W. GreiderAmerican molecular biologistborn 1961
- Carolyn BertozziAmerican chemist (born 1966)
- Carolyn S. ShoemakerAmerican astronomer, researcher and university teacher1929–2021
- Carolyn PorcoAmerican planetary scientistborn 1953
- Carolyn JonesAmerican actress (1930–1983)
- Carolyn Bessette KennedyAmerican publicist and socialite (1966–1999)
- Carolyn SchulerAmerican swimmer (1943–2024)
- Carolyn WaldoCanadian synchronized swimmerborn 1964
- Carolyn LawrenceAmerican voice actressborn 1967
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Carolyn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Carolynn
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Kathryn
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Kathlyn
>99% girls
Marilyn
“a man of the lake”
>99% girls
Kathleen
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Carolann
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Marilynn
>99% girls
Carlotta
“free man” · “a small, strong woman”
>99% girls