This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Caroline – Meaning: free man (feminine French form of Charles) – Origin: French, from Latin Carolina/Carolus, ultimately Germanic – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAIR-oh-lyn
Caroline is the French feminine form of Charles, tracing back through the Latin Carolina and Carolus to a Germanic root meaning "free man." It's pronounced KAIR-oh-lyn, and it has a romantic, storybook, timeless, classic feel, with U.S. usage on record from 1880 through 2024. If you're weighing it for a daughter, it's a name with a long, continuous paper trail rather than a recent invention.
Meaning & Origin of Caroline
Meaning: Free man (feminine french form of charles).
Origin: French, from Latin Carolina/Carolus, ultimately Germanic.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Caroline
Phonetic: KAIR-oh-lyn IPA: /ˈkærəlaɪn/
Popularity of Caroline
Caroline hit its highest point in 2017, ranking #55 with 4,294 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had settled to #92 with 2,720 babies, still a well-used name but past its peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Caroline Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Caroline, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Caroline mean?
Free man (feminine french form of charles). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Caroline)
How do you pronounce Caroline?
Caroline is pronounced KAIR-oh-lyn (IPA: /ˈkærəlaɪn/).
Is Caroline a popular name right now?
Caroline peaked at #55 in 2017 and is ranked #92 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Caroline? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Caroline
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
