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Home › Baby Names Directory › Carlyn

Carlyn

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAR-lin /ˈkɑr.lɪn/High

Meaning: A blend of Carol/Caroline ('a free woman', the feminine of Charles) with the -lyn ending ('a lake'); routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A free woman: Carlyn blends Caroline and -lyn — 'a free woman'. Crisp, classic, and warm.
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Origin LowGerman, English
MeaningA blend of Carol/Caroline ('a free woman', the feminine of Charles) with the -lyn ending ('a lake'); routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#8462 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births12 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1992
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,306

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199219002025

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

Carlyn is a blend of Carol/Caroline — 'a free woman', the feminine of Charles, from Germanic karl, 'a free man' — with the -lyn ending, from Welsh llyn, 'a lake' (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, classic name (nickname Carly).

It registers thinly today. Rare, a-free-woman at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Caroline means 'a free woman' (the feminine of Charles, Germanic) — Carlyn blends it with the -lyn ending, crisp and classic (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'KAR-lin').
Overall data confidence 48%
References — Caroline — routes layered

Variations

CarolynCarlinCarlynn

Nicknames

Carly

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Carlyn…

Carolyn— the fuller form
Marlyn— a sound-neighbor -lyn girls' name
Camdyn— another English name
Chozyn— a similarly popular pick
Copelyn— shares the -yn ending

Explore names like Carlyn

By themeuncertainenglishcoinagegerman
By meaningSea / WaterFreedom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Carlyn mean?

Carlyn blends Caroline ('a free woman') with -lyn ('a lake'); the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Carlyn?

It's said KAR-lin /ˈkɑr.lɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Carlyn a boy or girl name?

Carlyn is a girl's name.

How popular is Carlyn?

Carlyn is a rare name in the U.S.

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