Carol
Girl name · #2240 in 2025 · Uniqueness 76/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Carol scores 76 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Carol is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Carols were CA (10), TX (10), FL (7), NY (6), NC (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 76/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.