Given name & surname
Carrie
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”·“from the river”·“from the fort on the hill”
In English use, Carrie is a diminutive of Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.” Carrie is a variant of Cary. Interpretations include “from the river”, “from the fort on the hill”, and “having dark features”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Carrie is a diminutive of Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.” Carrie is a variant of Cary. Interpretations include “from the river”, “from the fort on the hill”, and “having dark features”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Carrie is a diminutive of Caroline. Caroline comes from French, and ultimately from Middle High German.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In English use, Carrie is used as an affectionate form of Caroline.
The story
Carrie was in use during the 19th century.
Carrie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 267,540
- 1,190 boys · 266,350 girls
- Most popular year
- 1977
- 8,688 babies
- 2025
- 63
- #2,726 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −41%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 63 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,726 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 41.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8,661 in 1977. In 2025, Ohio had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 157,744 as a first name in 2020; 747 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.
Carrie’s family of names
In English usage, Carrie is a diminutive of Caroline. Carrie has a related form in Cary. Carrie is an affectionate form of Caroline.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Carrie
- Carrie FisherAmerican actress, writer and screenwriter (1956–2016)
- Carrie UnderwoodAmerican singer and actor (born 1983)
- Carrie LamHong Kong politicianborn 1957
- Carrie Chapman CattAmerican social reformer, suffragist (1859-1947)
- Carrie SnodgressAmerican actress (1945-2004)
- Carrie CoonAmerican actressborn 1981
- Carrie PrestonAmerican actressborn 1967
- Carrie BrownsteinAmerican musician and actressborn 1974
- Carrie NationAmerican temperance advocate (1846–1911)
Characters named Carrie: Carrie Bradshaw (sitcom Sex and the City), Carrie Kelley (one of several fictional characters using the identity Robin), Carrie White (Stephen King's 1974 novel Carrie), Carrie Mathison (fictional character on the American television/drama thriller Homeland).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carrie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Michelle
“who is like God?” · “from the bank's meadow”
>99% girls
April
“to open”
>99% girls
Lauren
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree” · “man from Laurentum; crowned with laurel”
>99% girls
Marnie
“woman of the sea”
>99% girls
Hollie
“near the valley of the holly bushes” · “from the holly tree”
>99% girls
Adria
“man from Hadria” · “a man from Hadria”
>99% girls
Katrina
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Adrienne
“man from Hadria” · “a man from Hadria”
1% boys · 99% girls