Carolina
Girl name · #405 in 2025 · Uniqueness 49/100
In 2025, 769 baby girls were named Carolina, placing it at #405 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #432, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,341 girls born in 2025 was named Carolina.
Babies named Carolina per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Carolina first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2004, when 1,270 girls were named Carolina — good for #254 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 Carolina against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carolina in class?
Carolina scores 49 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Carolina is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carolina is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Carolinas were TX (196), CA (137), FL (59), IL (33), NC (30). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Carolina
Statistically, parents drawn to Carolina tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Angelina, Paulina, Melina, Celina, and Marina.
AngelinaPaulinaMelinaCelinaMarinaAdrianaJuliannaSabrina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carolina | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 769 | #405 |
| 2024 | 718 | #429 |
| 2023 | 730 | #420 |
| 2022 | 664 | #477 |
| 2021 | 609 | #511 |
| 2020 | 684 | #450 |
| 2019 | 756 | #414 |
| 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 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Carolina a popular girl name?
Carolina ranked #405 among girls in 2025 with 769 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #432.
When was the name Carolina most popular?
Carolina peaked in 2004, when 1,270 American girls received the name (ranked #254 that year). Since 2004 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carolina?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,341 newborn American girls was named Carolina. It scores 49/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.