The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Carolyn!

Comments and insights on the name Carolyn: | Edit

I am definatly thinking of using this name if a girl, and if she has a sister it will be either Gwen or Zana. Carolyn is a name used twice already in our family tree, and I love how it sounds. I love Vintage names.

Vintage or obsolete? Whatever name a parent chooses for a child, they are the ones who have to live with it, not the parent.

Personal experiences with the name Carolyn: | Edit

I have a friend Carolyn and people always end up calling her Caroline, but she doesn't mind so much.

My daughter is named Carolyn. Originally, I planned to name her Caroline, but my Mom thought people would pronounce Carolyn correctly more often. As it happens, about as soon as she was born, I started calling her Linnie. She was Linnie until she was 11, then she decided she wanted to be Cara. She's still Cara.

My name is Carolyn. I rarely use it. Every time I'm introduced to a new person, they call me Caroline! I now go by Carrie always. I got fed up of pronouncing it slowly for people.

My name is Carolyn. I absolutely hate it. I have met very few other Carolyn's in my life, most of which are older women who comment that they've never met anyone so young (20s) with our name. I feel like my name is very old and out of date, and a lot of people call me Caroline by accident which is even worse. I wish I'd been named something a bit more modern.

There is a Carrolyn in my family. She goes by Carnie, i don't know the reason. She is my absolute hero, she is the most loving, accepting person iknow and has the best sense of humor. Everytime she meets one of my friends they leave treating her like family.

I like my name okay I guess, but it is difficult for children to say. My sister called me "Gowen" when she was little. I know a Carolyn who goes by Taryn to this day because that's what her siblings called her. And I've heard of two other Carolyns who got stuck with "Calloran." So you might want to think twice about naming a firstborn Carolyn.

My name is Carolyn & there is much confusion on the spelling & pronunciation. I have to spell it to people when doing business. They think the pronunciation is Caroline. I don't see what is so difficult about it but that's ok.

Nicknames for Carolyn: | Edit

Carrie, Lyn, Callie, Cal, Carol, Carly, Carney, Cara, Linny, Linnie, Linna, Lynna, Lynnie, Carebear

Meanings and history of the name Carolyn: | Edit

Meaning: Free man; little and womanly; female version of C/Karl

Origin: German

Famous real-life people named Carolyn: | Edit

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
Carolyn Ann Rogers, painter extraordinaire and the best mom ever

Carolyn in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Carolyn", song by Merle Haggard