Caroline
Girl name · #96 in 2025 · Well-known
In 2025, 2,646 baby girls were named Caroline, placing it at #96 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #62, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 680 girls born in 2025 was named Caroline.
Babies named Caroline per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Caroline first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 306 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 5,022 girls were named Caroline — good for #65 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Caroline against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Caroline in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Caroline is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Caroline is most common
Geography matters for names, and Caroline is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Caroline is most common in DC (8.9 per 1,000), AL (5.6 per 1,000), AR (4.5 per 1,000), KY (4.4 per 1,000), TN (4.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Caroline is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Caroline
Caroline carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Caroline family went to about 4,463 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #48, versus #96 for Caroline alone.
Names like Caroline
Statistically, parents drawn to Caroline tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Madeline, Jasmine, Natalie, Katherine, and Jade.
MadelineJasmineNatalieKatherineJadeSavannahClaireAutumn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Caroline | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,646 | #96 |
| 2024 | 2,730 | #92 |
| 2023 | 2,868 | #83 |
| 2022 | 3,030 | #77 |
| 2021 | 3,204 | #80 |
| 2020 | 3,364 | #71 |
| 2019 | 3,920 | #61 |
| 2018 | 4,167 | #56 |
| 2017 | 4,294 | #55 |
| 2016 | 4,437 | #56 |
| 2015 | 4,333 | #62 |
| 2014 | 4,348 | #59 |
| 2013 | 3,983 | #63 |
| 2012 | 3,421 | #80 |
| 2011 | 3,370 | #87 |
| 2010 | 3,360 | #88 |
| 2009 | 3,624 | #87 |
| 2008 | 3,545 | #94 |
| 2007 | 3,409 | #99 |
| 2006 | 3,791 | #89 |
| 2005 | 3,974 | #83 |
| 2004 | 4,379 | #74 |
| 2003 | 4,585 | #68 |
| 2002 | 4,657 | #67 |
| 2001 | 4,864 | #62 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Caroline a popular girl name?
Caroline ranked #96 among girls in 2025 with 2,646 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #62.
When was the name Caroline most popular?
Caroline peaked in 2000, when 5,022 American girls received the name (ranked #65 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Caroline?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 680 newborn American girls was named Caroline. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.