Meaning & Origin
A female given name from French, variant of Carol
Carole is a girl's and boy's baby name of French origin, the French variant of Carol, itself derived from the Germanic male name Karl ('free man') or from the word carol — a joyful song. Both paths lead to a name associated with celebration and freedom.
Carole peaked in the U.S. top 50 in the late 1930s–1940s. Singer-songwriter Carole King gave it an enduring cool — her 1971 album Tapestry remains one of the best-selling records in history. The French -e ending gives it a slightly more distinctive look than the plain Carol.