How Many People Are Named Carole?

Complete statistics for the name Carole: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Carole
Very Rare
Old French, Latin

Carole is a classic, old-school name that's become quite rare. About 64,090 people in the U.S. are named Carole, making it 1 in 5,149 Americans. It peaked in 1942 with 8,440 births, showing its strong association with past generations.

~187
Living in US
1 in 1,772,456
Americans
1942
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
Free woman, joyful song
🌐
Origin
Old French, Latin
🌟
Lucky Day
Friday
💎
Lucky Stone
Emerald
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 9
Personality Traits
Warm Expressive Nurturing Creative
9
Life Path Number

Life path number 9 is traditionally associated with compassion, wisdom, and a deep sense of purpose. People guided by 9 are seen as generous old souls who are drawn to serving others and leaving the world a little better than they found it.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

64,090
Worldwide Bearers
#2,200
Global Rank
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
4,754
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales
3,712
🇭🇹 Haiti
3,549
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
2,709
🇳🇿 New Zealand
2,181
🇹🇩 Chad
1,977
🇿🇦 South Africa
1,776
🇪🇬 Egypt
1,496
🇲🇦 Morocco
1,010
🇳🇱 Netherlands
930

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
91 (0%)
♀ Female
63,999 (100%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 80
424
Would be under 30 (0%)
6,171
Would be 30–60 (6%)
104,346
Would be over 60 (94%)

All 110,941 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1942

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Slowly declining

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
99
Classic Feel
79
Modern Appeal
21
International
5

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Carole Through the Generations

The name Carole has a rich history but is now considered quite rare. With only 64,090 people currently living in the U.S. with this name, it's clear that many who were born with it have passed away. The peak year for Carole was 1942, when 8,440 babies were given this name, indicating a strong connection to mid-20th century naming trends. Today, the majority, 94%, of those named Carole are over 60, which reflects a significant age skew towards older generations. This trend of slowly declining popularity is consistent with the name's status as a classic, old-school choice that has largely been replaced by newer options. The stark contrast between the all-time high of 110,941 births and the current living population of 64,090 underscores the name's journey from widespread use to relative obscurity.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

New York 12,865
Pennsylvania 10,386
California 8,516
Illinois 8,085
Ohio 7,149
Michigan 6,109
Massachusetts 4,990
New Jersey 4,602
Texas 3,067
Indiana 2,814

✨ Similar Names to Carole

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Carole's Old French, Latin roots

📄 About the Name Carole

How Many People Have the Name Carole?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 187 people in the United States currently share the name Carole. That works out to roughly 1 in every 1,772,456 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.

Is Carole a Common or Rare Name?

Carole is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Carole Mean?

Carole means "free woman, joyful song" and comes from Old French, Latin origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 9.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Carole in SSA data, approximately 0% are male and 100% are female.

When Was Carole Most Popular?

The name Carole reached peak popularity in 1942, with 8,440 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Carole?

Approximately 187 people named Carole live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 187. That works out to roughly 1 in 1,772,456 Americans.

Is Carole a rare name?

Carole is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 1,772,456 Americans has this name.

What does the name Carole mean?

Carole means "free woman, joyful song" and comes from Old French, Latin origins.

Is Carole more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 0% of people named Carole are male and 100% are female.

When was Carole most popular?

Carole peaked in 1942 with 8,440 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US187
All-Time Births187
1 in X1 in 1,772,456
RarityVery Rare
GenderFemale
Avg Age80
Peak Year1942
World Rank#2,200
Male %0%
Female %100%

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.