Caryl
Primarily a girl's name of Welsh origin with 6,347 recorded births. Also given to 344 boys.
Meaning & Origin
The ship of characters Carol Peletier and Daryl Dixon from the television series The Walking Dead.
Caryl is a girl's and boy's baby name of Welsh origin, a variant of Carol or Carole, which may derive from the Welsh caral (love) or from the French Caroline. The -yl ending gives it a distinctive, slightly more unusual appearance.
Caryl was used in mid-20th century America as an uncommon variant of the popular Carol. Author Caryl Churchill, the celebrated British playwright, gave this spelling an intellectual, literary identity — making it a name associated with creative and critical thinking.
EtymologyShow more
Caryl first shows up in U.S. Social Security records in 1896. Names present in the earliest SSA data (which begins in 1880) were typically carried by immigrants from Europe, handed down through families, or drawn from biblical and classical sources.
Its Welsh classification suggests a path from welsh linguistic traditions into American usage, though the specific route — whether through immigration, literature, or cultural exchange — would require deeper historical research.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Caryl has 91+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1896.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 105 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 205 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 756 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 1,437 | — |
| 1940s | 1,489 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 1,255 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 772 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 250 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 38 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 11 | — |
The Story of Caryl
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1947, Caryl is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Caryl are most likely born between 1937 and 1957.
How rare is Caryl?
Caryl has 6,347 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1896, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1940s with 1,489 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Caryl by the numbers
- Would fill 132 school buses
- Meeting one Caryl per day would take 17.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(91 years, 1896–1996)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 6 | #12097 |
| 1994 | 7 | #10758 |
| 1992 | 9 | #8849 |
| 1991 | 7 | #10444 |
| 1989 | 8 | #8881 |
| 1988 | 13 | #5954 |
| 1987 | 12 | #5978 |
| 1986 | 10 | #6672 |
| 1985 | 10 | #6531 |
| 1984 | 7 | #8285 |
| 1983 | 10 | #6284 |
| 1982 | 9 | #6963 |
| 1981 | 13 | #5296 |
| 1980 | 13 | #5276 |
| 1979 | 19 | #3930 |
| 1978 | 17 | #4099 |
| 1977 | 23 | #3286 |
| 1976 | 11 | #5257 |
| 1975 | 17 | #3795 |
| 1974 | 16 | #3881 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Caryl as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Caryl has also been given to 344 boys in the U.S. since 1898.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caryl a boy's or girl's name?
When was Caryl most popular?
How popular is the name Caryl?
Can Caryl be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1896–1996