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Home › Baby Names Directory › Carroll

Carroll

♂ Boy

Pronounced KAIR-uhl /ˈkær.əl/Medium

Meaning: From the Irish surname Ó Cearbhaill, based on the personal name Cearbhall, generally read as 'fierce in battle' or 'hacking.' It carried into use as a boy's given name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Carroll is an Irish surname turned first name, from Cearbhall, 'fierce in battle' (said 'KAIR-uhl'). More often a boy's name in its heyday.
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Origin MediumIrish
MeaningFrom the Irish surname Ó Cearbhaill, based on the personal name Cearbhall, generally read as 'fierce in battle' or 'hacking.' It carried into use as a boy's given name.
U.S. rank (2023)#9050 ↘ Falling
2023 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1934
Total births (all-time)≈ 35,431

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193418802023

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

Carroll comes from the Irish surname Ó Cearbhaill, built on the old personal name Cearbhall, usually glossed 'fierce in battle.' As a boy's given name it climbed in the early twentieth century and peaked around 1934, then declined through mid-century as surname-names shifted taste; it later saw some use for girls.

A staple of the 1930s that has since turned rare for boys, Carroll now reads as a vintage, distinctly Irish-rooted choice.

Did you know? Carroll peaked for boys around 1934 and faded after mid-century — later it drifted toward girls, but its 1930s heyday was firmly masculine.
Overall data confidence 72%
References — Carroll — Irish surname O Cearbhaill; given-name use

Variations

CarolCyrilCarrol

Nicknames

CarrCal

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Carroll…

Darrell— a like mid-century two-syllable boy's name
Errol— a same-era vintage pick
Cyril— a like early-century classic
Murray— a like surname-style choice

Explore names like Carroll

By themevintageirishsurname1930s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Carroll mean?

Carroll comes from the Irish surname O Cearbhaill, generally read as 'fierce in battle.'

How do you pronounce Carroll?

It's said KAIR-uhl /ˈkær.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Carroll a boy or girl name?

Here Carroll is a boy's name, though it has also been used for girls.

Is Carroll making a comeback?

Not really — it's an early-twentieth-century favorite that has been uncommon for generations, now an old-fashioned surname-style choice.

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