Home › Baby Names Directory › Carrolyn
Carrolyn
How to Pronounce Carrolyn
Pronounced KAR-uh-lin /ˈkærəlɪn/Medium
Meaning: Carrolyn is a variant spelling of Carolyn, which comes through Caroline as a feminine form of Charles, from the Germanic 'karl', 'free man'. The doubled 'r' is a spelling flourish; the name's meaning and sound follow Carolyn exactly.Low
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
Carrolyn is one of several spellings that trailed the popular Carolyn through the twentieth century. Carolyn itself descends from Caroline, a feminine of Charles from the Germanic 'karl', 'free man', and Carrolyn shares that whole lineage.
The variant stayed rare, drawing only a couple dozen girls a year at its high around 1942 while Carolyn was widely used. A woman named Carrolyn then would be of a grandmother's generation; the standard Carolyn has long outlasted this doubled-letter spelling.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Carrolyn…
Explore names like Carrolyn
Frequently Asked
What does the name Carrolyn mean?
It is a variant of Carolyn, a feminine form of Charles from the Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man'.
How do you pronounce Carrolyn?
It's said KAR-uh-lin /ˈkærəlɪn/, three syllables, stress on the first.
Is Carrolyn a boy or girl name?
Carrolyn is used as a girl's name.
Is Carrolyn a popular name?
No, it has always been rare, a variant spelling of Carolyn used lightly around the mid-twentieth century.