Carolynn
Girl name · #3397 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Carolynn? In official American birth records, Carolynn has been tracked continuously since 1917, giving it 108 years of documented American history.
Carolynn is currently the #3397 girl name in the United States — 45 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3346, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 40,000 girls born in 2025 was named Carolynn.
The 108-year story
Carolynn first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1942, when 169 girls were named Carolynn — good for #568 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.
Babies named Carolynn per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carolynn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carolynn in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carolynn is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Carolynn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Carolynn is most common
State-level data for Carolynn 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 Carolynn
Statistically, parents drawn to Carolynn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marilynn, Maryann, Charolette, Celestine, and Carlotta.
MarilynnMaryannCharoletteCelestineCarlottaGeorgiannaCherryLeeann
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carolynn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 | #3389 |
| 2024 | 40 | #3758 |
| 2023 | 35 | #4114 |
| 2022 | 43 | #3595 |
| 2021 | 35 | #4090 |
| 2020 | 42 | #3546 |
| 2019 | 53 | #3043 |
| 2018 | 37 | #3918 |
| 2017 | 44 | #3479 |
| 2016 | 51 | #3182 |
| 2015 | 48 | #3346 |
| 2014 | 39 | #3848 |
| 2013 | 57 | #2936 |
| 2012 | 43 | #3644 |
| 2011 | 33 | #4353 |
| 2010 | 35 | #4180 |
| 2009 | 52 | #3189 |
| 2008 | 40 | #3936 |
| 2007 | 44 | #3653 |
| 2006 | 48 | #3368 |
| 2005 | 37 | #3876 |
| 2004 | 42 | #3490 |
| 2003 | 43 | #3347 |
| 2002 | 43 | #3241 |
| 2001 | 44 | #3142 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carolynn?
In official American birth records, the name Carolynn first appeared in 1917 (over 108 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 108 years.
Is Carolynn a popular girl name?
Carolynn ranked #3397 among girls in 2025 with 45 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3346.
When was the name Carolynn most popular?
Carolynn peaked in 1942, when 169 American girls received the name (ranked #568 that year). Since 1942 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carolynn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 40,000 newborn American girls was named Carolynn. 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.