Carly

Meaning of Carly

Carly is typically a feminine form of the name Carl, which means 'free man'. It's often seen as a shortened, more modern-sounding version.

Carly has English roots — browse every English baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Carly

After ranking as high as #169 in 2000, Carly has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Carly

• Carly Rae Jepsen
  Canadian pop singer-songwriter
• Carly Simon
  American singer-songwriter
• Carly Patterson
  American Olympic gymnast
• Carly Fiorina
  American businesswoman and politician
• Carly Chaikin
  American actress

More English names

Questions about the name Carly

What does the name Carly mean?

Carly means carly is typically a feminine form of the name carl, which means 'free man'. it's often seen as a shortened, more modern-sounding version, and it comes from English origins.

Is Carly a boy's or a girl's name?

Carly is most commonly used as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Carly?

Carly did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Carly most popular?

Carly peaked at #169 in 2000.