Carlyn
Girl name · English · Greek · Irish · Latin
Meaningfree · English form of Caroline
- US rank
- #8,362
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #952 in 1943
12 babies were named Carlyn in the US in 2025. It has dropped 3,048 places in five years.
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US births per million girls, 1900–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Carlyn you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 133,333 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Carlyn, 12 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Carlyn would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCarlyn first shows up in US birth records in 1900, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 125 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1943, when it ranked #952. Today it's #8,362, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowCarlyn was 4.8× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 27,548 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 133,333.
- TrendCarlyn has slipped 3,048 places over the last five years and now sits at #8,362. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningCarlyn is an English form of Caroline, which means “free”. Our records link it to English, Greek and Irish roots.
About the name Carlyn
Carlyn is a girl name of English, Greek and Irish origin meaning “free”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-lyn”. US birth records list Carlyn for girls from 1900 to 2025, in 117 of those 126 years. Its best year was 1943, when it ranked #952 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #8,362, with 12 babies.
Origin:English namesGreek namesIrish namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 7.0 | 142,653 girls |
| 1910s | 12 | 86,281 girls |
| 1920s | 15 | 64,683 girls |
| 1930s | 25 | 39,557 girls |
| 1940s | 34 | 29,351 girls |
| 1950s | 22 | 45,893 girls |
| 1960s | 24 | 41,701 girls |
| 1970s | 21 | 48,263 girls |
| 1980s | 33 | 30,386 girls |
| 1990s | 34 | 29,334 girls |
| 2000s | 27 | 36,470 girls |
| 2010s | 17 | 58,038 girls |
| 2020s | 7.9 | 126,582 girls |
Other spellings of Carlyn
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Unisex name: Harper · harp player
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
Questions about the name Carlyn
What does the name Carlyn mean?
Carlyn means “free” in English, as a form of Caroline.
What is the origin of the name Carlyn?
Carlyn has English, Greek, Irish, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Carlyn a boy or girl name?
Carlyn is a girl name.
How popular is the name Carlyn?
Carlyn ranked #8,362 for US girls in 2025, given to 12 babies. Its best year was 1943 (#952).