Carolyn
Meaning: Its source is ceorl, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Freeholder."
Origin: "ceorl."
Languages: This girl's name is used in English.
Non-English Forms: Carolien
Popularity: The name Carolyn ranked 359th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 42nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: Of all the feminine forms of Carl (and its equivalent Charles), the oldest is probably Carolina, which developed in Latin as a feminine form of Carolinus, itself an elaboration of Carolus.
Carolus Magnus was the Latin name of the first Holy Roman Emperor, a Germanic leader known in the English-speaking world as Charlemagne (French for ''Charles the Great''). He was crowned emperor in 800 A.D., after uniting much of central Europe and building a relatively stable society out of the chaos that followed the fall of Rome.
Charlemagne's widespread fame gave rise to many forms of his name in many languages. Each male form suggested a female equivalent, which in turn changed and developed, so that we see Carolina changed to Caroline, shortened to Carol, and so on.
Leadership
- Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (born 1945)
American legislator.
- Representative, D-Michigan, 1997- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Carolyn Dineen King
American judge.
- Circuit Judge, Fifth Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- Carolyn B. Maloney (born 1948)
American politician.
- Representative, D-New York, 1993- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Carolyn McCarthy (born 1944)
American legislator.
- Representative, D-New York, 1997- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Carolyn Ticknor
- 35th Most Powerful Woman, CEO, President, Laserjet Imaging Systems, Hewlett-Packard (see list of 1999 Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business)
- 37th Most Powerful Woman, President, Imaging and Printing Systems, Hewlett-Packard (see list of 2000 Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business)
Miscellaneous
- Carolyn Adams
- 1969 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Carolyn Sapp
- 1992 Miss America titleholder, representing Hawaii (see list of Miss America Winners)
Sports
- Carolyn Schuler
American athlete.
- 1960 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 100m butterfly (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Swimming Events)
Stage and Screen
- Carolyn Conwell
- Actress on soap opera ''''The Young and the Restless'''' (see list of Performers on ''The Young and the Restless'')
- Carolyn Jones (born 1929, died 1983)
American actress.
- Portrayed Mrs. Moore (see list of Actors on ''Roots'')
The Literary World
- Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
- 1947 Newbery Medal winner, for Miss Hickory (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- Carolyn Kizer (born 1925)
American poet.
- 1985 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Yin (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- Carolyn Roberts
Fictional character.
- Wife of Ralph Roberts in Stephen King''s novel Insomnia (see list of Characters in Insomnia)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Care Bear
- Christmas Carol
- Caroler
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Carsick
- Caz
- Chloe
- Careless
- Heroin
- Carolina Cowboy
- Carolina Panther








