Carol
Girl name · #2240 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Carol? In official American birth records, Carol has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Carol is currently the #2240 girl name in the United States — 82 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1770, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 21,951 girls born in 2025 was named Carol.
Babies named Carol per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Carol first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1946, when 34,284 girls were named Carol — good for #5 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Carol against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carol in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carol is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Carol will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Carol is most common
State-level data for Carol is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Carol
Statistically, parents drawn to Carol tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cheryl, Connie, Cindy, Judy, and Joanne.
CherylConnieCindyJudyJoanneDianePamelaJanice
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carol | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 82 | #2239 |
| 2024 | 66 | #2637 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2415 |
| 2022 | 82 | #2277 |
| 2021 | 87 | #2154 |
| 2020 | 100 | #1908 |
| 2019 | 112 | #1816 |
| 2018 | 114 | #1787 |
| 2017 | 114 | #1815 |
| 2016 | 129 | #1660 |
| 2015 | 118 | #1770 |
| 2014 | 150 | #1487 |
| 2013 | 133 | #1616 |
| 2012 | 168 | #1384 |
| 2011 | 191 | #1250 |
| 2010 | 150 | #1495 |
| 2009 | 189 | #1284 |
| 2008 | 228 | #1130 |
| 2007 | 250 | #1048 |
| 2006 | 270 | #970 |
| 2005 | 351 | #758 |
| 2004 | 289 | #850 |
| 2003 | 276 | #869 |
| 2002 | 274 | #843 |
| 2001 | 278 | #831 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carol?
In official American birth records, the name Carol first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Carol a popular girl name?
Carol ranked #2240 among girls in 2025 with 82 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1770.
When was the name Carol most popular?
Carol peaked in 1946, when 34,284 American girls received the name (ranked #5 that year). Since 1946 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carol?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 21,951 newborn American girls was named Carol. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.