Carola
Girl name · English · French · German · Scandinavian
Meaningfree person · Latin form of Carol
- US rank
- #10,917
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #1,061 in 1894
8 babies were named Carola in the US in 2025.
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US births per million girls, 1894–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Carola you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 200,000 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Carola, 8 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Carola would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCarola first shows up in US birth records in 1894, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 131 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1894, when it ranked #1,061. Today it's #10,917, so it could be due a comeback.
- MeaningCarola is a Latin form of Carol, which means “free person”. Our records link it to English, French and German roots.
About the name Carola
Carola is a girl name of English, French and German origin meaning “free person”. It has 6 letters and 3 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-ola”. US birth records list Carola for girls from 1894 to 2025, in 110 of those 132 years. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked #1,061 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #10,917, with 8 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench namesGerman namesScandinavian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 21 | 48,426 girls |
| 1900s | 11 | 91,408 girls |
| 1910s | 14 | 72,993 girls |
| 1920s | 8.5 | 118,203 girls |
| 1930s | 11 | 88,810 girls |
| 1940s | 11 | 88,968 girls |
| 1950s | 8.8 | 112,994 girls |
| 1960s | 8.5 | 117,096 girls |
| 1970s | 5.4 | 186,220 girls |
| 1980s | 3.0 | 337,838 girls |
| 1990s | 1.8 | 552,486 girls |
| 2000s | 2.6 | 386,100 girls |
| 2010s | 2.2 | 450,450 girls |
| 2020s | 4.1 | 241,935 girls |
Other spellings of Carola
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 Carola
What does the name Carola mean?
Carola means “free person” in Latin, as a form of Carol.
What is the origin of the name Carola?
Carola has English, French, German, Scandinavian roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Carola a boy or girl name?
Carola is a girl name.
How popular is the name Carola?
Carola ranked #10,917 for US girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 1894 (#1,061).