What Does the Name Caroline Mean?

Caroline is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning “"Free man" (feminine of Charles).”

Updated June 2026

Name	Caroline
Gender	female
Origin	Latin
Meaning	"Free man" (feminine of Charles)
Variants	Carolina, Karoline, Carolyn, Charlotte
Popularity	A classic that has held a steady place in the US top 100 for girls for many decades.

The meaning and origin of Caroline

The name Caroline means “"Free man" (feminine of Charles)” and has Latin origins. A feminine form of Charles, from the Germanic 'Karl' meaning 'free man' or 'warrior', via the Latin Carolus. It has been used by European royalty for centuries.

Variants and related names

Caroline is related to several other names you may recognize: Carolina, Karoline, Carolyn, Charlotte. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Caroline?

A classic that has held a steady place in the US top 100 for girls for many decades.

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