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
Show data for
Peak · girls
1942 · 19,978 births
Debut · girls
80 births
In top 100 · girls
44 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
556,777
since 1880

Carolyn over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201943peak #10, 1942girls
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,222185—
2024#1,160207—
2023#1,085228—
2022#1,239194—
2021#1,129218—
2020#947270—
2019#936282—
2018#865313—
2017#832326—
2016#808352—
2015#748377—
2014#746375—
2013#784347—
2012#765361—
2011#742371—
2010#736378—
2009#683426—
2008#678448—
2007#606495—
2006#517587—
2005#488626—
2004#417731—
2003#430701—
2002#365822—
2001#346870—
2000#3081,031—
1999#2971,037—
1998#327901—
1997#2761,061—
1996#2331,210—
1995#2421,175#7,7926
1994#2301,230—
1993#2001,479—
1992#1961,518—
1991#1931,559#6,5197
1990#1691,714#5,3829
1989#1581,809#3,32517
1988#1581,802#5,2008
1987#1491,813#3,95911
1986#1621,733#3,88211
1985#1551,837#4,05210
1984#1551,825#4,2159
1983#1501,914#3,88410
1982#1462,009#4,5938
1981#1441,958#3,85810
1980#1471,928#4,9407
1979#1382,053#4,8427
1978#1302,176#3,61410
1977#1292,197#3,38611
1976#1292,115#4,9356
1975#1192,346#4,3097
1974#1182,471#3,8378
1973#1162,569#3,01311
1972#1102,992#2,65913
1971#1043,609#3,9637
1970#844,518#2,62113
1969#715,129#2,04617
1968#615,538#2,03016
1967#605,719#1,50726
1966#606,121#1,72320
1965#586,965#1,66922
1964#568,066#1,54526
1963#568,124#1,37532
1962#469,692#1,47928
1961#4210,509#1,60225
1960#439,403#1,61925
1959#429,727#1,36033
1958#3710,814#1,37032
1957#3311,575#1,58325
1956#3310,634#1,36232
1955#3011,179#1,37031
1954#2712,153#1,38230
1953#2512,919#1,37830
1952#2414,272#1,19538
1951#2215,206#1,24235
1950#2015,588#1,46425
1949#1717,404#1,34829
1948#1418,623#1,12740
1947#1520,742#1,06446
1946#1219,902#98047
1945#1217,244#89950
1944#1118,670#74569
1943#1120,365#74076
1942#1019,978#83960
1941#1116,273#81760
1940#1512,657#93946
1939#1411,290#99241
1938#1510,586#1,00940
1937#208,941#94244
1936#237,906#1,20530
1935#286,967#1,42223
1934#336,472#1,46122
1933#405,043#1,58619
1932#464,587#1,99514
1931#604,008#1,77017
1930#723,725#1,64420
1929#773,272#2,58910
1928#912,847#2,8439
1927#992,806#3,1518
1926#1142,415—
1925#1272,189#2,9369
1924#1272,222#4,3475
1923#1322,010#3,4677
1922#1441,706—
1921#1461,753—
1920#1501,556—
1919#1651,330—
1918#1671,329—
1917#1641,223#3,9815
1916#1631,216—
1915#1681,096#2,45810
1914#169835—
1913#170676—
1912#189517—
1911#185387—
1910#199331—
1909#194299—
1908#200280—
1907#254184—
1906#235184—
1905#213210—
1904#227183—
1903#241157—
1902#224179—
1901#237148—
1900#231185—
1899#231141—
1898#225169—
1897#227145—
1896#227149—
1895#227148—
1894#219147—
1893#211146—
1892#239122—
1891#230110—
1890#217124—
1889#199133—
1888#203123—
1887#20897—
1886#22282—
1885#20886—
1884#21875—
1883#23458—
1882#21762—
1881#19560—
1880#16380—
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 1943

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Carolyn, so not publishedAKMaine: #16 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 85 girlsMEVermont: #23 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 90 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #19 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 85 girlsNHWashington: #17 for girls · 241 births · 1 in 77 girlsWAIdaho: #17 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 73 girlsIDMontana: #35 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 138 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #28 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 111 girlsNDMinnesota: #28 for girls · 213 births · 1 in 118 girlsMNIllinois: #17 for girls · 923 births · 1 in 76 girlsILWisconsin: #37 for girls · 166 births · 1 in 170 girlsWIMichigan: #18 for girls · 700 births · 1 in 81 girlsMINew York: #25 for girls · 990 births · 1 in 116 girlsNYMassachusetts: #28 for girls · 359 births · 1 in 108 girlsMARhode Island: #13 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 70 girlsRIOregon: #17 for girls · 142 births · 1 in 74 girlsORNevada: #18 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 63 girlsNVWyoming: #13 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 52 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #23 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 94 girlsSDIowa: #14 for girls · 338 births · 1 in 61 girlsIAIndiana: #9 for girls · 773 births · 1 in 42 girlsINOhio: #13 for girls · 1,101 births · 1 in 59 girlsOHPennsylvania: #22 for girls · 881 births · 1 in 102 girlsPANew Jersey: #20 for girls · 370 births · 1 in 98 girlsNJConnecticut: #25 for girls · 155 births · 1 in 105 girlsCTCalifornia: #14 for girls · 1,042 births · 1 in 75 girlsCAUtah: #10 for girls · 126 births · 1 in 55 girlsUTColorado: #14 for girls · 153 births · 1 in 68 girlsCONebraska: #16 for girls · 165 births · 1 in 62 girlsNEMissouri: #9 for girls · 733 births · 1 in 45 girlsMOKentucky: #6 for girls · 591 births · 1 in 49 girlsKYWest Virginia: #5 for girls · 558 births · 1 in 35 girlsWVVirginia: #7 for girls · 736 births · 1 in 41 girlsVAMaryland: #8 for girls · 376 births · 1 in 50 girlsMDDelaware: #15 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 66 girlsDEArizona: #13 for girls · 77 births · 1 in 84 girlsAZNew Mexico: #15 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 90 girlsNMKansas: #10 for girls · 312 births · 1 in 47 girlsKSArkansas: #5 for girls · 590 births · 1 in 35 girlsARTennessee: #5 for girls · 822 births · 1 in 39 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #7 for girls · 995 births · 1 in 43 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #11 for girls · 373 births · 1 in 67 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #11 for girls · 174 births · 1 in 55 girlsDCOklahoma: #4 for girls · 568 births · 1 in 38 girlsOKLouisiana: #6 for girls · 513 births · 1 in 54 girlsLAMississippi: #10 for girls · 330 births · 1 in 76 girlsMSAlabama: #7 for girls · 697 births · 1 in 49 girlsALGeorgia: #9 for girls · 652 births · 1 in 56 girlsGAHawaii: #8 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 69 girlsHITexas: #7 for girls · 1,375 births · 1 in 54 girlsTXFlorida: #7 for girls · 389 births · 1 in 54 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oklahoma#4 · 1 in 38
  2. West Virginia#5 · 1 in 35
  3. Arkansas#5 · 1 in 35
  4. Tennessee#5 · 1 in 39
  5. Kentucky#6 · 1 in 49

Best ever in a state: #4 in Oklahoma, 1942.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#45681 in 38
Arkansas#55901 in 35
Tennessee#58221 in 39
West Virginia#55581 in 35
Kentucky#65911 in 49
Louisiana#65131 in 54
Alabama#76971 in 49
Florida#73891 in 54
North Carolina#79951 in 43
Texas#71,3751 in 54
Virginia#77361 in 41
Hawaii#8621 in 69
Maryland#83761 in 50
Georgia#96521 in 56
Indiana#97731 in 42
Missouri#97331 in 45
Kansas#103121 in 47
Mississippi#103301 in 76
Utah#101261 in 55
District of Columbia#111741 in 55
South Carolina#113731 in 67
Arizona#13771 in 84
Ohio#131,1011 in 59
Rhode Island#13881 in 70
Wyoming#13371 in 52
California#141,0421 in 75
Colorado#141531 in 68
Iowa#143381 in 61
Delaware#15351 in 66
New Mexico#15681 in 90
Maine#16911 in 85
Nebraska#161651 in 62
Idaho#17621 in 73
Illinois#179231 in 76
Oregon#171421 in 74
Washington#172411 in 77
Michigan#187001 in 81
Nevada#18141 in 63
New Hampshire#19451 in 85
New Jersey#203701 in 98
Pennsylvania#228811 in 102
South Dakota#23531 in 94
Vermont#23291 in 90
Connecticut#251551 in 105
New York#259901 in 116
Massachusetts#283591 in 108
Minnesota#282131 in 118
North Dakota#28471 in 111
Montana#35311 in 138
Wisconsin#371661 in 170
Alaska———

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
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s856#163 (1880)#207
1890s1,401#211 (1893)#225
1900s2,009#194 (1909)#226
1910s8,940#163 (1916)#174
1920s22,776#77 (1929)#121
1930s69,525#14 (1939)#35
1940s181,858#10 (1942)#13
1950s124,067#20 (1950)#29
1960s75,266#42 (1961)#55
1970s27,046#84 (1970)#118
1980s18,628#144 (1981)#152
1990s12,884#169 (1990)#236
2000s6,737#308 (2000)#484
2010s3,482#736 (2010)#796
2020s1,302#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 1943

girls
#11
20,365 births · 1 in 69 girls
boys
#740
76 births · 1 in 18,780 boys

Top girls' names in 1943

  1. #1Mary66,174
  2. #2Barbara43,432
  3. #3Patricia39,620
  4. #4Linda38,439
  5. #5Carol31,686
  6. #6Sandra25,990
  7. #7Judith25,214
  8. #8Sharon24,712
  9. #9Nancy23,988
  10. #10Betty21,596
  11. #11Carolyn20,365

Top boys' names in 1943

  1. #1James80,278
  2. #2Robert74,892
  3. #3John68,929
  4. #4William55,904
  5. #5Richard46,339
  6. #6David37,240
  7. #7Charles36,632
  8. #8Thomas32,874
  9. #9Ronald29,239
  10. #10Michael24,745
  11. #740Carolyn76
More about 1943

girls

1,395,293 girls got a published name in 1943; 1 in 69 of them was named Carolyn, which outranked 99.8% of the 5,367 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Carolyn
  1. #8Sharon24,712
  2. #9Nancy23,988
  3. #10Betty21,596
  4. #11Carolyn20,365
  5. #12Shirley17,816
  6. #13Judy17,383
  7. #14Margaret17,153
Biggest movers since 1942
Risers
  1. ↑ 878Tana#1,559 → #681
  2. ↑ 754Rozanne#1,706 → #952
  3. ↑ 722Cheryle#1,592 → #870
  4. ↑ 596Tena#1,592 → #996
  5. ↑ 525Alexis#1,349 → #824
Fallers
  1. ↓ 594Florida#997 → #1,591
  2. ↓ 467Jerilynn#581 → #1,048
  3. ↓ 364Lorelei#864 → #1,228
  4. ↓ 308Kaaren#536 → #844
  5. ↓ 305Erna#864 → #1,169

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,427,297 boys got a published name in 1943; 1 in 18,780 of them was named Carolyn, which outranked 81.7% of the 4,040 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Carolyn
  1. #736Dennie77
  2. #736Leigh77
  3. #736Michel77
  4. #740Carolyn76
  5. #740Avery76
  6. #740Huey76
  7. #740Raymon76
  8. #746Adolfo75
  9. #746Cruz75
  10. #746Dorsey75

Tied with 5 names at #740; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1942
Risers
  1. ↑ 514Derek#1,228 → #714
  2. ↑ 465Armond#1,421 → #956
  3. ↑ 368Les#1,214 → #846
  4. ↑ 347Aron#1,244 → #897
  5. ↑ 321Edsel#1,167 → #846
Fallers
  1. ↓ 500Humberto#780 → #1,280
  2. ↓ 352Chauncey#928 → #1,280
  3. ↓ 352Clearence#991 → #1,343
  4. ↓ 344Macarthur#512 → #856
  5. ↓ 325Reyes#933 → #1,258

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1943 →