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Carlee

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAHR-lee /ˈkɑr.li/Medium

Meaning: a modern feminine elaboration of Carl/Charles, ultimately from Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man'Medium

In 30 seconds: Carlee is a modern feminine spin on Carl and Charles, which trace back to the Germanic 'karl', meaning 'free man'.

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Origin MediumEnglish

Meaninga modern feminine elaboration of Carl/Charles, ultimately from Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man'

U.S. rank (2025)#1911 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births101 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2009

Total births (all-time)≈ 12,977

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The name takes the sturdy Charles, by way of Carl, and gives it a light, contemporary feminine ending. That Germanic root karl simply meant a 'free man', a plain and dignified sense underneath the breezy spelling. Carlee is one of several ways American parents have feminized the name by sound.

Its siblings, Carley, Carli, Carlie, Carly and Karlee, all chase the same upbeat two-syllable rhythm with different vowels and endings. The choice between them is almost entirely a matter of look.

Did you know? Carlee is a spelling variant of Carly, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'origin uncertain' while changing the visual style.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Carlee — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

CarleyCarliCarlieCarlyKarlee

Nicknames

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If you like Carlee…

Carly— The most common spelling of the same feminine name.

Karlee— A K-spelling of the identical name.

Charles— The classic name Carlee ultimately feminizes.

Caylee— echoes that soft -ee sound

Maylee— shares Carlee's English roots

Explore names like Carlee

By thememodern english

By meaningFreedom

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Carlee mean?

Carlee is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Carlee?

It's commonly said KAHR-lee /ˈkɑr.li/.

Is Carlee a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Carlee is used as a girl name.

How popular is Carlee?

In 2024, Carlee ranked #1680 in the U.S. for girls, with 121 births recorded.