Carolyn
A variant of Caroline with -lyn.
Every Carolyn since 1880 — 558,397 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carolyn
Carolyn is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,222 in 2025 with 185 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 558,397 American babies have been named Carolyn. Its peak came in 1947, when 20,788 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carolyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carolyn year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 185 | #1,222 | — | — |
| 2024 | 207 | #1,160 | — | — |
| 2023 | 228 | #1,085 | — | — |
| 2022 | 194 | #1,240 | — | — |
| 2021 | 218 | #1,129 | — | — |
| 2020 | 270 | #947 | — | — |
| 2019 | 282 | #936 | — | — |
| 2018 | 313 | #866 | — | — |
| 2017 | 326 | #833 | — | — |
| 2016 | 352 | #809 | — | — |
| 2015 | 377 | #748 | — | — |
| 2014 | 375 | #747 | — | — |
| 2013 | 347 | #785 | — | — |
| 2012 | 361 | #765 | — | — |
| 2011 | 371 | #742 | — | — |
| 2010 | 378 | #736 | — | — |
| 2009 | 426 | #683 | — | — |
| 2008 | 448 | #678 | — | — |
| 2007 | 495 | #606 | — | — |
| 2006 | 587 | #517 | — | — |
| 2005 | 626 | #489 | — | — |
| 2004 | 731 | #418 | — | — |
| 2003 | 701 | #430 | — | — |
| 2002 | 822 | #365 | — | — |
| 2001 | 870 | #346 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,031 | #308 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,175 | #242 | 6 | #7,943 |
| 1990 | 1,714 | #169 | 9 | #5,438 |
| 1985 | 1,837 | #155 | 10 | #4,089 |
| 1980 | 1,928 | #147 | 7 | #5,007 |
| 1975 | 2,346 | #119 | 7 | #4,382 |
| 1970 | 4,518 | #84 | 13 | #2,639 |
| 1965 | 6,965 | #58 | 22 | #1,674 |
| 1960 | 9,403 | #43 | 25 | #1,627 |
| 1955 | 11,179 | #30 | 31 | #1,373 |
| 1950 | 15,588 | #20 | 25 | #1,472 |
| 1945 | 17,244 | #12 | 50 | #900 |
| 1940 | 12,657 | #15 | 46 | #942 |
| 1935 | 6,967 | #28 | 23 | #1,426 |
| 1930 | 3,725 | #72 | 20 | #1,649 |
| 1925 | 2,189 | #127 | 9 | #2,962 |
| 1920 | 1,556 | #150 | — | — |
| 1915 | 1,096 | #168 | 10 | #2,477 |
| 1910 | 331 | #199 | — | — |
| 1905 | 210 | #213 | — | — |
| 1900 | 185 | #231 | — | — |
| 1895 | 148 | #227 | — | — |
| 1890 | 124 | #217 | — | — |
| 1885 | 86 | #209 | — | — |
| 1880 | 80 | #163 | — | — |
Famous people named Carolyn
- Carolyn Jones Actor · 1930–1983
- Carolyn S. Shoemaker Astronomer · b. 1929
- Carolyn Porco Astronomer · b. 1953
- Carolyn Schuler Swimmer · b. 1943
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carolyn mean?
A variant of Caroline with -lyn.
How popular is the name Carolyn in 2025?
Carolyn ranked #1,222 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 185 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carolyn?
558,397 babies have been named Carolyn in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carolyn most popular?
Carolyn peaked in 1947, when 20,788 newborns received the name.
Is Carolyn a boy or girl name?
Carolyn is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Carolyn rising or falling?
Carolyn is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Carolyn?
Well-known people named Carolyn include Carolyn Jones (actor), Carolyn S. Shoemaker (astronomer), Carolyn Porco (astronomer).