The story behind Caroline
Borrowed in the 17th century from French Caroline, from Italian Carolina or its etymon Latin Carolīna, from Latin Carolus (“Charles”), from Middle High German Karl, + -īna (feminine diminutive suffix). By surface analysis, Carol (male given name) + -ine (feminine diminutive suffix). Doublet of Carolina.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
French entry
From Italian Carolina or its etymon Latin Carolīna.
Pronunciation
Boston, New-York-City, Received-Pronunciation, Southern-US: /ˈkæɹ.əˌlaɪn/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Boston, New-York-City, Received-Pronunciation, Southern-US: /ˈkæɹ.əˌlɪn/
- General-American: /ˈkɛɹ.əˌlaɪn/
- French: /ka.ʁɔ.lin/
Popularity
Caroline ranked #96 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Caroline
Adelaide
Borrowed from French Adélaïde, from Old High German Adalheid (from adal (“noble”) + heit (“nature, character”)), modern German Adelheid; doublet of Alice.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Adeline
From Old French Adeline, a diminutive form of Adela and Adele brought to England by the Normans.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Albertine
Borrowed from French Albertine. Variant of Albertina. By surface analysis, Albert + -ine.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Donizete
Borrowed from Italian Donizetti.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Edeline
A female given name from the Germanic languages, of rare usage, variant of Adeline.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Emmeline
Medieval English form of Old French Ameline, diminutive form of Amélie, cognate to English Amelia.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Caroline
Adalbertas
Learned borrowing from Latin Adalbertus, from Proto-West Germanic *Aþalaberht, from Proto-Germanic *Aþalaberhtaz. Compare German Adalbert and Latvian Adalberts.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adél
From French Adèle.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Caroline
Abelard
From French Abélard, an extension of the Abel with an Germanic suffix -(h)ard. Possibly also regarded a variant of the German Eberhard "boar" + "hard", equivalent to English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abraham
Middle English Abraham English Abraham From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adalbertas
Learned borrowing from Latin Adalbertus, from Proto-West Germanic *Aþalaberht, from Proto-Germanic *Aþalaberhtaz. Compare German Adalbert and Latvian Adalberts.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length