Carolina
A female given name from Latin, Latinate form of Caroline; rare in English.
Every Carolina since 1880 — 48,108 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carolina
Carolina is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #405 in 2025 with 769 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 48,108 American babies have been named Carolina. Its peak came in 2004, when 1,270 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carolina stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carolina year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 769 | #405 | — | — |
| 2024 | 718 | #429 | — | — |
| 2023 | 730 | #421 | — | — |
| 2022 | 664 | #477 | — | — |
| 2021 | 609 | #511 | — | — |
| 2020 | 684 | #450 | — | — |
| 2019 | 756 | #415 | — | — |
| 2018 | 740 | #420 | — | — |
| 2017 | 722 | #439 | — | — |
| 2016 | 775 | #421 | — | — |
| 2015 | 732 | #432 | — | — |
| 2014 | 788 | #407 | — | — |
| 2013 | 712 | #428 | — | — |
| 2012 | 723 | #432 | — | — |
| 2011 | 729 | #430 | — | — |
| 2010 | 822 | #389 | — | — |
| 2009 | 828 | #387 | — | — |
| 2008 | 925 | #357 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,020 | #329 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,196 | #280 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,133 | #291 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,270 | #254 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,216 | #262 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,074 | #289 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,207 | #265 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,204 | #267 | — | — |
| 1995 | 989 | #279 | 6 | #7,942 |
| 1990 | 910 | #302 | 7 | #6,506 |
| 1985 | 404 | #504 | 9 | #4,379 |
| 1980 | 455 | #467 | 6 | #5,617 |
| 1975 | 247 | #634 | — | — |
| 1970 | 213 | #718 | — | — |
| 1965 | 194 | #705 | — | — |
| 1960 | 143 | #865 | — | — |
| 1955 | 103 | #984 | — | — |
| 1950 | 104 | #869 | — | — |
| 1945 | 114 | #697 | — | — |
| 1940 | 78 | #803 | — | — |
| 1935 | 97 | #675 | 6 | #3,313 |
| 1930 | 132 | #600 | — | — |
| 1925 | 145 | #602 | — | — |
| 1920 | 132 | #623 | — | — |
| 1915 | 100 | #662 | — | — |
| 1910 | 43 | #646 | — | — |
| 1905 | 30 | #643 | — | — |
| 1900 | 40 | #533 | — | — |
| 1895 | 35 | #493 | — | — |
| 1890 | 23 | #549 | — | — |
| 1885 | 18 | #504 | — | — |
| 1880 | 13 | #470 | — | — |
Famous people named Carolina
- Carolina Herrera Politician · b. 1939
- Carolina Coronado Writer · 1820–1911
- Carolina Kostner Skater · b. 1987
- Carolina Klüft Athlete · b. 1983
- Carolina Dieckmann Actor · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carolina mean?
A female given name from Latin, Latinate form of Caroline; rare in English.
How popular is the name Carolina in 2025?
Carolina ranked #405 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 769 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carolina?
48,108 babies have been named Carolina in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carolina most popular?
Carolina peaked in 2004, when 1,270 newborns received the name.
Is Carolina a boy or girl name?
Carolina is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Carolina rising or falling?
Carolina has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Carolina?
Well-known people named Carolina include Carolina Herrera (politician), Carolina Coronado (writer), Carolina Kostner (skater).