Unisex · #11,807 in 2026

Caryl

Caryl is both a unisex given name and surname. As a given name, it is an alternate form of Carol that is common for women and Carroll that is uncommon for men. It is also an uncommon surname.

Current Rank
#11,807
Peak Rank
#610 (1947)
Total Babies
6K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #610 (6K total)
👦 Boy peak #1,960 (344 total)
👧As Girl Name
1896
First Year
1996
Last Year
1947
Peak Year
#610
Peak Rank
6K
Total Count
91
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1898
First Year
1994
Last Year
1928
Peak Year
#1960
Peak Rank
344
Total Count
44
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Caryl

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Caryl is both a unisex given name and surname. As a given name, it is an alternate form of Carol that is common for women and Carroll that is uncommon for men. It is also an uncommon surname.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Caryl

As a girl name

Caryl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1896, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 190 Caryls were born — ranking #610 that year. As of 2026, Caryl ranks #11,807 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 6K Caryls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Caryl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1898, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1928, when 16 Caryls were born — ranking #1,960 that year. As of 2026, Caryl ranks #8,799 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 344 Caryls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Caryl

Phonetically similar names — useful when Caryl is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Caryl

What does the name Caryl mean?
Caryl is both a unisex given name and surname. As a given name, it is an alternate form of Carol that is common for women and Carroll that is uncommon for men. It is also an uncommon surname.
How popular is Caryl in 2026?
In 2026, Caryl ranks #11,807 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Caryl most popular?
Caryl reached its peak popularity in 1947, ranking #610 that year with 190 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Caryl most popular?
Caryl has historically been most popular in Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Caryl.
Is Caryl a unisex name?
Yes — Caryl is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 95% of Caryls assigned female and 5% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Caryl?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Caryl include Ouida, Kaci, Aranza. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Caryl

Caryl is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1896 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Caryl's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #610. Use the chart and map above to compare Caryl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.