Carolyn
#1,222 for girls in 2025, 185 births · Last seen for boys in 1995 at #7,792
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1942 · 19,978 births
- Debut · girls
- 80 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 44 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 556,777since 1880
Carolyn over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #1,222 | 185 | — | |
| 2024 | #1,160 | 207 | — | |
| 2023 | #1,085 | 228 | — | |
| 2022 | #1,239 | 194 | — | |
| 2021 | #1,129 | 218 | — | |
| 2020 | #947 | 270 | — | |
| 2019 | #936 | 282 | — | |
| 2018 | #865 | 313 | — | |
| 2017 | #832 | 326 | — | |
| 2016 | #808 | 352 | — | |
| 2015 | #748 | 377 | — | |
| 2014 | #746 | 375 | — | |
| 2013 | #784 | 347 | — | |
| 2012 | #765 | 361 | — | |
| 2011 | #742 | 371 | — | |
| 2010 | #736 | 378 | — | |
| 2009 | #683 | 426 | — | |
| 2008 | #678 | 448 | — | |
| 2007 | #606 | 495 | — | |
| 2006 | #517 | 587 | — | |
| 2005 | #488 | 626 | — | |
| 2004 | #417 | 731 | — | |
| 2003 | #430 | 701 | — | |
| 2002 | #365 | 822 | — | |
| 2001 | #346 | 870 | — | |
| 2000 | #308 | 1,031 | — | |
| 1999 | #297 | 1,037 | — | |
| 1998 | #327 | 901 | — | |
| 1997 | #276 | 1,061 | — | |
| 1996 | #233 | 1,210 | — | |
| 1995 | #242 | 1,175 | #7,792 | 6 |
| 1994 | #230 | 1,230 | — | |
| 1993 | #200 | 1,479 | — | |
| 1992 | #196 | 1,518 | — | |
| 1991 | #193 | 1,559 | #6,519 | 7 |
| 1990 | #169 | 1,714 | #5,382 | 9 |
| 1989 | #158 | 1,809 | #3,325 | 17 |
| 1988 | #158 | 1,802 | #5,200 | 8 |
| 1987 | #149 | 1,813 | #3,959 | 11 |
| 1986 | #162 | 1,733 | #3,882 | 11 |
| 1985 | #155 | 1,837 | #4,052 | 10 |
| 1984 | #155 | 1,825 | #4,215 | 9 |
| 1983 | #150 | 1,914 | #3,884 | 10 |
| 1982 | #146 | 2,009 | #4,593 | 8 |
| 1981 | #144 | 1,958 | #3,858 | 10 |
| 1980 | #147 | 1,928 | #4,940 | 7 |
| 1979 | #138 | 2,053 | #4,842 | 7 |
| 1978 | #130 | 2,176 | #3,614 | 10 |
| 1977 | #129 | 2,197 | #3,386 | 11 |
| 1976 | #129 | 2,115 | #4,935 | 6 |
| 1975 | #119 | 2,346 | #4,309 | 7 |
| 1974 | #118 | 2,471 | #3,837 | 8 |
| 1973 | #116 | 2,569 | #3,013 | 11 |
| 1972 | #110 | 2,992 | #2,659 | 13 |
| 1971 | #104 | 3,609 | #3,963 | 7 |
| 1970 | #84 | 4,518 | #2,621 | 13 |
| 1969 | #71 | 5,129 | #2,046 | 17 |
| 1968 | #61 | 5,538 | #2,030 | 16 |
| 1967 | #60 | 5,719 | #1,507 | 26 |
| 1966 | #60 | 6,121 | #1,723 | 20 |
| 1965 | #58 | 6,965 | #1,669 | 22 |
| 1964 | #56 | 8,066 | #1,545 | 26 |
| 1963 | #56 | 8,124 | #1,375 | 32 |
| 1962 | #46 | 9,692 | #1,479 | 28 |
| 1961 | #42 | 10,509 | #1,602 | 25 |
| 1960 | #43 | 9,403 | #1,619 | 25 |
| 1959 | #42 | 9,727 | #1,360 | 33 |
| 1958 | #37 | 10,814 | #1,370 | 32 |
| 1957 | #33 | 11,575 | #1,583 | 25 |
| 1956 | #33 | 10,634 | #1,362 | 32 |
| 1955 | #30 | 11,179 | #1,370 | 31 |
| 1954 | #27 | 12,153 | #1,382 | 30 |
| 1953 | #25 | 12,919 | #1,378 | 30 |
| 1952 | #24 | 14,272 | #1,195 | 38 |
| 1951 | #22 | 15,206 | #1,242 | 35 |
| 1950 | #20 | 15,588 | #1,464 | 25 |
| 1949 | #17 | 17,404 | #1,348 | 29 |
| 1948 | #14 | 18,623 | #1,127 | 40 |
| 1947 | #15 | 20,742 | #1,064 | 46 |
| 1946 | #12 | 19,902 | #980 | 47 |
| 1945 | #12 | 17,244 | #899 | 50 |
| 1944 | #11 | 18,670 | #745 | 69 |
| 1943 | #11 | 20,365 | #740 | 76 |
| 1942 | #10 | 19,978 | #839 | 60 |
| 1941 | #11 | 16,273 | #817 | 60 |
| 1940 | #15 | 12,657 | #939 | 46 |
| 1939 | #14 | 11,290 | #992 | 41 |
| 1938 | #15 | 10,586 | #1,009 | 40 |
| 1937 | #20 | 8,941 | #942 | 44 |
| 1936 | #23 | 7,906 | #1,205 | 30 |
| 1935 | #28 | 6,967 | #1,422 | 23 |
| 1934 | #33 | 6,472 | #1,461 | 22 |
| 1933 | #40 | 5,043 | #1,586 | 19 |
| 1932 | #46 | 4,587 | #1,995 | 14 |
| 1931 | #60 | 4,008 | #1,770 | 17 |
| 1930 | #72 | 3,725 | #1,644 | 20 |
| 1929 | #77 | 3,272 | #2,589 | 10 |
| 1928 | #91 | 2,847 | #2,843 | 9 |
| 1927 | #99 | 2,806 | #3,151 | 8 |
| 1926 | #114 | 2,415 | — | |
| 1925 | #127 | 2,189 | #2,936 | 9 |
| 1924 | #127 | 2,222 | #4,347 | 5 |
| 1923 | #132 | 2,010 | #3,467 | 7 |
| 1922 | #144 | 1,706 | — | |
| 1921 | #146 | 1,753 | — | |
| 1920 | #150 | 1,556 | — | |
| 1919 | #165 | 1,330 | — | |
| 1918 | #167 | 1,329 | — | |
| 1917 | #164 | 1,223 | #3,981 | 5 |
| 1916 | #163 | 1,216 | — | |
| 1915 | #168 | 1,096 | #2,458 | 10 |
| 1914 | #169 | 835 | — | |
| 1913 | #170 | 676 | — | |
| 1912 | #189 | 517 | — | |
| 1911 | #185 | 387 | — | |
| 1910 | #199 | 331 | — | |
| 1909 | #194 | 299 | — | |
| 1908 | #200 | 280 | — | |
| 1907 | #254 | 184 | — | |
| 1906 | #235 | 184 | — | |
| 1905 | #213 | 210 | — | |
| 1904 | #227 | 183 | — | |
| 1903 | #241 | 157 | — | |
| 1902 | #224 | 179 | — | |
| 1901 | #237 | 148 | — | |
| 1900 | #231 | 185 | — | |
| 1899 | #231 | 141 | — | |
| 1898 | #225 | 169 | — | |
| 1897 | #227 | 145 | — | |
| 1896 | #227 | 149 | — | |
| 1895 | #227 | 148 | — | |
| 1894 | #219 | 147 | — | |
| 1893 | #211 | 146 | — | |
| 1892 | #239 | 122 | — | |
| 1891 | #230 | 110 | — | |
| 1890 | #217 | 124 | — | |
| 1889 | #199 | 133 | — | |
| 1888 | #203 | 123 | — | |
| 1887 | #208 | 97 | — | |
| 1886 | #222 | 82 | — | |
| 1885 | #208 | 86 | — | |
| 1884 | #218 | 75 | — | |
| 1883 | #234 | 58 | — | |
| 1882 | #217 | 62 | — | |
| 1881 | #195 | 60 | — | |
| 1880 | #163 | 80 | — | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Carolyn was already there! It came in at #163, and was given to 80 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1886, when fewer than 87 girls a year got the name.
Where Carolyn is popular in 2021
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Wisconsin#542 · 1 in 2,386
- Iowa#579 · 1 in 2,338
- Kentucky#639 · 1 in 2,837
- Missouri#675 · 1 in 3,091
- South Carolina#677 · 1 in 2,954
Best ever in a state: #4 in Oklahoma, 1942.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | #542 | 9 | 1 in 2,386 |
| Iowa | #579 | 5 | 1 in 2,338 |
| Kentucky | #639 | 6 | 1 in 2,837 |
| Missouri | #675 | 8 | 1 in 3,091 |
| South Carolina | #677 | 6 | 1 in 2,954 |
| Alabama | #734 | 6 | 1 in 3,179 |
| Massachusetts | #750 | 6 | 1 in 4,143 |
| Tennessee | #757 | 9 | 1 in 3,469 |
| Pennsylvania | #829 | 11 | 1 in 4,435 |
| Indiana | #839 | 7 | 1 in 4,055 |
| Louisiana | #845 | 5 | 1 in 3,721 |
| North Carolina | #874 | 10 | 1 in 4,508 |
| Michigan | #884 | 8 | 1 in 4,792 |
| Georgia | #907 | 10 | 1 in 4,529 |
| Arizona | #928 | 6 | 1 in 4,622 |
| Ohio | #1,059 | 8 | 1 in 6,076 |
| Washington | #1,093 | 5 | 1 in 5,904 |
| New Jersey | #1,199 | 5 | 1 in 7,285 |
| Illinois | #1,309 | 6 | 1 in 8,067 |
| New York | #1,425 | 9 | 1 in 9,028 |
| Texas | #1,463 | 16 | 1 in 9,717 |
| California | #2,840 | 6 | 1 in 29,088 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Carolyn
Momentum · girls
Falling
- 62 spots since 2024 (#1,160 → #1,222)
- 275 spots since 2020 (#947 → #1,222)
- 474 spots since 2015 (#748 → #1,222)
- Biggest jump: 54 spots in 1908 (#254 → #200)
- Biggest drop: 182 spots in 2021 (#947 → #1,129)
Rise & fade · girls
62 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1942 at #10 (19,978 births)
- Births halved by 1959, 17 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 1 yr
- Top 10: 1 yr · 1942
- Top 100: 44 yrs · run 1927–1970
- Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1880–2020
Share of babies · girls
1 in 68
- Highest: 1 in 68 girls born in 1942 were named Carolyn (1.5%)
- Latest: 1 in 8,688 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · girls
The 1940s
- 32.7% of all girls named Carolyn (181,858) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 856 | #163 (1880) | #207 |
| 1890s | 1,401 | #211 (1893) | #225 |
| 1900s | 2,009 | #194 (1909) | #226 |
| 1910s | 8,940 | #163 (1916) | #174 |
| 1920s | 22,776 | #77 (1929) | #121 |
| 1930s | 69,525 | #14 (1939) | #35 |
| 1940s | 181,858 | #10 (1942) | #13 |
| 1950s | 124,067 | #20 (1950) | #29 |
| 1960s | 75,266 | #42 (1961) | #55 |
| 1970s | 27,046 | #84 (1970) | #118 |
| 1980s | 18,628 | #144 (1981) | #152 |
| 1990s | 12,884 | #169 (1990) | #236 |
| 2000s | 6,737 | #308 (2000) | #484 |
| 2010s | 3,482 | #736 (2010) | #796 |
| 2020s | 1,302 | #947 (2020) | #1,130 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Carolyn in 2021
girls
#1,129
218 births · 1 in 7,527 girls
Top girls' names in 2021
More about 2021
girls
1,640,861 girls got a published name in 2021; 1 in 7,527 of them was named Carolyn, which outranked 93.6% of the 17,676 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 7.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Carolyn
- #1,122Zaira220
- #1,127Darcy219
- #1,127Harleigh219
- #1,129Carolyn218
- #1,129Elouise218
- #1,129Memphis218
- #1,129Scottie218
- #1,135Leena217
- #1,135Lizbeth217
- #1,135Queen217
Tied with 5 names at #1,129; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 2020
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.