Carol

At a Glance

Meaning

Free person

Origin

English (short form of Caroline/Charles, from Latin Carolus, ultimately Germanic)

Gender

Used for both boys and girls

Pronunciation

KAIR-uhlListen

Carol is an English name meaning "free person," a short form of Caroline and Charles that traces back to the Latin Carolus and, before that, a Germanic root. You may have heard it means "song of joy" like a Christmas carol, but that's a folk etymology: the name has nothing to do with the word for a song, which comes from an Old French word for a round dance. It's pronounced KAIR-uhl.

Meaning & Origin of Carol

Meaning: Free person.

Origin: English (short form of Caroline/Charles, from Latin Carolus, ultimately Germanic).

A common claim: means 'song of joy,' like a Christmas carol Actually: This is a folk etymology: the name Carol is unrelated to the word 'carol' (a song, from Old French carole, a round dance). Carol as a name comes from Caroline/Charles and means 'free person.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Carol

Popularity of Carol

Carol ranked #4 in 1941, when 24,187 babies received the name. By 2024 it had slipped to #2631, with 66 babies given the name that year.

Names Like Carol

These names have followed a similar path to Carol in U.S. popularity over the years.

• Eloy
• Suzanne
• Starr
• Ronny
• Hinda
• Galen

FAQ

What does the name Carol mean?

Free person. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Carol?

Carol is pronounced KAIR-uhl (IPA: /ˈkærəl/).

Is Carol a popular name right now?

Carol peaked at #4 in 1941 and is ranked #2631 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Carol Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Carol, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.