Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1947

Caryl

Gender Unisex · 95% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Caryl
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1947
200 babies
All-time total
6,691
#2,209 all-time among girls
First recorded
1896
in Social Security records

Caryl popularity over time

6,691 babies have been named Caryl since 1896, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s 11 5 16 2 – #1,531
1900s 38 5 43 4 +169% #1,562
1910s 250 66 316 32 +635% #960
1920s 772 71 843 84 +167% #579
1930s 1,255 89 1,344 134 +59% #526
1940s 1,490 50 1,540 154 +15% #558
1950s 1,437 26 1,463 146 -5% #664
1960s 756 15 771 77 -47% #1,016
1970s 204 5 209 21 -73% #2,049
1980s 105 7 112 11 -46% #5,275
1990s 29 5 34 3 -70% #8,850
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Caryl

Caryl is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1896, 6,691 American babies have been named Caryl, about 95% girls and 5% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1947, when 200 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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 Caryl stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Caryl?

The median living Caryl is about 72 years old; half are between 64 and 80. An estimated 3,600 people named Caryl are alive in the United States today.

median 72 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Caryl 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 10 #6,532 – –
1980 13 #5,275 – –
1975 16 #3,971 – –
1970 40 #2,049 – –
1965 69 #1,305 – –
1960 112 #1,016 10 #2,705
1955 121 #883 – –
1950 165 #664 5 #3,766
1945 135 #625 6 #3,032
1940 154 #559 7 #2,913
1935 150 #526 8 #2,748
1930 130 #606 11 #2,469
1925 61 #954 11 #2,614
1920 41 #1,191 5 #4,391
1915 33 #1,199 6 #3,464
1910 – – – –
1905 7 #1,562 – –
1900 6 #1,757 – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Caryl, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Caryl?

The median living Caryl is about 72 years old. Half of all living Caryls are between 64 and 80 years old.

How many people named Caryl are alive today?

An estimated 3,600 people named Caryl are alive in the United States, based on 6,691 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Caryl in 2025?

Caryl did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Caryl?

6,691 babies have been named Caryl in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Caryl most popular?

Caryl peaked in 1947, when 200 newborns received the name.

Is Caryl a boy or girl name?

Caryl is used for both: about 95% of babies named Caryl have been girls and 5% boys.

Is the name Caryl rising or falling?

Caryl has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Caryl

Names that sound and feel close to Caryl: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Caryl with similar names → More names starting with C →