Carol

Meaning of Carol

Means "free man," but used for females as a diminutive of Caroline.

Carol has German roots — browse every German baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Carol

After ranking as high as #722 in 2000, Carol has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Carol

• Carol Burnett
  Comedian, actress, singer
• Carol King
  Singer-songwriter
• Carol Channing
  Actress, singer, dancer
• Carol Bartz
  Former Yahoo! CEO
• Carol Moseley Braun
  Former U.S. Senator

More German names

Questions about the name Carol

What does the name Carol mean?

Carol means means "free man," but used for females as a diminutive of caroline, and it comes from German origins.

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

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

How popular is the name Carol?

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

When was Carol most popular?

Carol peaked at #722 in 2000.