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Home › Baby Names Directory › Karoline

Karoline

♀ Girl

Pronounced ka-oh-LEE-nuh /ka.ʁo.ˈliː.nə/Medium

Meaning: ManMedium

In 30 seconds: Karoline is the German feminine of Charles, so its meaning traces back to 'man' or 'free man'. It is a stately, old-world spelling of Caroline.
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Origin MediumGerman, Danish, Norwegian
MeaningMan
U.S. rank (2025)#1718 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births119 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,859

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201719152025

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

Through Charles, the name carries the Germanic karl element meaning 'man', here given a feminine ending. German and Scandinavian families have favored the K- spelling, where Caroline becomes Karoline on the page. It is a classic with deep European roots rather than a modern invention.

The K and the -line ending give it a clean, formal look that pairs naturally with relatives like Karolina and Karla. The name reaches into public life through figures such as the handball player Karoline Dyhre Breivang and the spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, showing its steady contemporary use.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Karoline is 'man', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Karoline — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

CharlizeKaralinaCarlaKarlaKarolina

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

  • ★Karoline Dyhre Breivang (1980–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Karoline Leavitt (1997–present)
    Current White House spokesperson

If you like Karoline…

Karolina— a listed variation, the fuller Slavic and German form of the same name
Caroline— the standard spelling Karoline mirrors, with the same 'man' root via Charles
Karla— a short feminine of the same Germanic karl element
Carla— the softer C- form of the same root, listed as a variation
Charlize— another feminine built on Charles, grouped with Karoline

Explore names like Karoline

By themegermandanish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karoline mean?

Karoline is usually explained as meaning 'man' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Karoline?

It's commonly said ka-oh-LEE-nuh /ka.ʁo.ˈliː.nə/.

Is Karoline a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Karoline is used as a girl name.

How popular is Karoline?

In 2024, Karoline ranked #1946 in the U.S. for girls, with 102 births recorded.

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