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Karolina

♀ Girl

Pronounced kair-oh-LEE-nuh /ˌkɛər.oʊˈliː.nə/High

Meaning: Free woman; strong; Scandinavian and Central European form of Caroline/Carolina, from Germanic karl (free man)High

In 30 seconds: The Scandinavian and Central/Eastern European form of Carolina meaning 'free woman,' from Germanic karl. One of Sweden's most popular girls' names, Karolina has a crisp Nordic elegance distinct from the English Carolina.

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Origin HighGermanic, Scandinavian

MeaningFree woman; strong; Scandinavian and Central European form of Caroline/Carolina, from Germanic karl (free man)

U.S. rank (2025)#1267 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births177 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2007

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,674

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

Karolina is the Scandinavian and Central/Eastern European form of Carolina/Caroline, from Germanic karl (free man). It is standard in Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. As a U.S. given name it appears in communities from these countries.

Karolina ranked #1255 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Carolina and its variants are one of the most geographically distributed names in the world — North Carolina, South Carolina, the Carolinas in general — all named for King Charles II of England, whose Latinized name Carolus gives us the Carolina family of names.

Overall data confidence 94%

Behind the Name — Karolina — Germanic/Scandinavian etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

CarolinaCarolineKarolína

Nicknames

KaroLinaKari

Famous Bearers

★Karolina Pliskova (b. 1992)
Czech professional tennis player and former world No. 1 in women's singles, a US Open and Wimbledon finalist.

If you like Karolina…

Carolina— the standard English/Spanish spelling of the same name

Caroline— the French form of the same name

Karoline— the -e ending Scandinavian variant

Katalina— four-syllable Scandinavian/Spanish name in the same register

Kristina— four-syllable Scandinavian feminine name with the same Nordic quality

Explore names like Karolina

By themegermanic scandinavian four-syllable

By meaningStrength Freedom

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karolina mean?

Karolina means 'free woman,' the Scandinavian/Central European form of Carolina, from Germanic karl (free man).

How do you pronounce Karolina?

It's said kair-oh-LEE-nuh — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Karolina a boy or girl name?

Karolina is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Karolina?

Karolina ranked #1255 for U.S. girls in 2024.