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Home › Baby Names Directory › Carola

Carola

♀ Girl

Pronounced kah-ROH-lah /kɑˈro.lɑ/Medium

Meaning: A feminine of Carl/Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man'; understood as 'free woman'; used across Italy, Germany, and ScandinaviaLow

In 30 seconds: Free woman: Carola is a feminine of Carl/Charles. Warm and lyrical (said 'kah-ROH-lah').
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Origin LowGermanic
MeaningA feminine of Carl/Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man'; understood as 'free woman'; used across Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia
U.S. rank (2025)#11133 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1961
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,169

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196118942025

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

Carola is a feminine of Carl/Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man', understood as 'free woman'. A lyrical name (said 'kah-ROH-lah').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely, mostly in German, Italian, and Scandinavian families. Rare, free-woman at the root, and lyrical.

Did you know? Carola is a feminine of Carl/Charles, 'free woman' from the Germanic karl — used across Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia — a lyrical choice (said 'kah-ROH-lah').
Overall data confidence 54%
References — Carola — Germanic; feminine of Carl/Charles

Variations

CarlaCarolina

Nicknames

Cara

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Carola…

Carla— a kin feminine of Carl
Carolina— a fellow Carol- name
Carlota— a companion Charles-feminine
Charlotte— a sound-adjacent Charl- name

Explore names like Carola

By themeclassicgermanic
By meaningFreedom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Carola mean?

Carola is a feminine of Carl/Charles, 'free woman' from the Germanic karl.

How do you pronounce Carola?

It's said kah-ROH-lah /kɑˈro.lɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Carola a boy or girl name?

Carola is a girl's name.

How popular is Carola?

Carola is a very rare name in the U.S.

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