Carolyn

Meaning of Carolyn

It means 'free woman' or 'woman of the people'. It's a feminine form derived from the name Charles, which means 'free man'.

Carolyn has Germanic roots — browse every Germanic baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Carolyn

After ranking as high as #308 in 2000, Carolyn has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Carolyn

• Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
  Socialite, fashion publicist, style icon
• Carolyn Jones
  Actress, Morticia Addams in 'The Addams Family'
• Carolyn Porco
  Planetary scientist, Cassini imaging team leader
• Carolyn Hennesy
  Actress, known for 'General Hospital'
• Carolyn Maloney
  Former U.S. Congresswoman from New York

More Germanic names

Questions about the name Carolyn

What does the name Carolyn mean?

Carolyn means it means 'free woman' or 'woman of the people'. it's a feminine form derived from the name charles, which means 'free man', and it comes from Germanic origins.

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

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

How popular is the name Carolyn?

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

When was Carolyn most popular?

Carolyn peaked at #308 in 2000.