Caroline
Caroline is the French feminine of Charles, from the Germanic "karl" meaning free man. The name was brought to England by Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, in the 18th century. She was a popular queen — intelligent and politically engaged — and the name spread rapidly through the English-speaking world. Caroline has been in the US top 1000 every year since 1880, but it has had two distinct peaks: one in the 1890s and one in the 2010s. The modern revival was driven by the broader return of "vintage" feminine names and by the character Caroline in the TV series "Sex and the City." The name has been in the US top 100 since 2000. I find Caroline elegant but a touch formal. It has four syllables and a certain patrician quality that some other names avoid. The nickname Carrie (made famous by Stephen King's 1974 novel and the 1976 film) gave the name a darker cultural association, but Carrie is now faded enough that the link is minor. Caroline is one of those names that works at every age — formal for documents, soft for nicknames. Caroline is a female name of French / Germanic origin that means "Free woman (French feminine of Charles)". Elegant, capable, and patrician. The name sounds established. Carolines tend to be composed. US top 100 since 2000. Well-known people named Caroline include Caroline of Ansbach (Queen of England), Caroline Kennedy (daughter of JFK), Caroline Wozniacki (tennis player), Caroline Polachek (musician). Common variations and related forms of Caroline include Carolyn (variant), Carolina (Italian/Spanish), Carole (French short), Carrie (nickname).