Carys

A girl's name of Welsh origin with 2,295 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#4669 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from Welsh.

Carys is a girl's baby name of Welsh origin, from the Welsh word caru, meaning 'to love' or 'love' — the name itself is the act of loving.

Carys is a modern Welsh creation that has become one of the most popular girls' names in Wales. Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband Michael Douglas named their daughter Carys in 2003, bringing international attention to this beautiful Welsh name. Its meaning — pure, simple love — combined with its melodic two-syllable sound makes it one of the most emotionally resonant names in the Celtic tradition.

EtymologyShow more

Phonetically, Carys belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their sharp, distinct ending — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.

Within the Welsh naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Welsh names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Carys’s linguistic neighborhood.

At a Glance

2,295

Total births

Since 1991

2006

Peak

196 births

1991

First recorded

34 years of data

Compare Carys with another name

Popularity Over Time

Carys was #1232 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #4669, but its charm endures.

First appeared: 1991Peak: 2006 (196 births)Current: #4669

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Carys
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	157	#4495	▼
2010s	933	#2239	▼
2000s	1,123	#2952	▲
1990s	82	#9485	—

The Story of Carys

A Gen Z name

Peaking in 2006, Carys is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Carys are most likely born between 1996 and 2016.

How rare is Carys?

Only about 1 in every 124,138 babies born in 2024 was named Carys — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1991, peaked in the 2000s with 1,123 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Carys by the numbers

Would fill 48 school buses
Meeting one Carys per day would take 6.3 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(34 years, 1991–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Carys
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	29	#4669	+7 (31.8%)
2023	22	#5587	-18 (-45.0%)
2022	40	#3778	+8 (25.0%)
2021	32	#4343	-2 (-5.9%)
2020	34	#4097	-22 (-39.3%)
2019	56	#2932	-3 (-5.1%)
2018	59	#2847	+5 (9.3%)
2017	54	#3023	-7 (-11.5%)
2016	61	#2808	-21 (-25.6%)
2015	82	#2280	-32 (-28.1%)
2014	114	#1795	-9 (-7.3%)
2013	123	#1696	-8 (-6.1%)
2012	131	#1640	-8 (-5.8%)
2011	139	#1571	+25 (21.9%)
2010	114	#1799	-24 (-17.4%)
2009	138	#1622	-40 (-22.5%)
2008	178	#1362	+33 (22.8%)
2007	145	#1563	-51 (-26.0%)
2006	196	#1227	+65 (49.6%)
2005	131	#1554	-47 (-26.4%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carys a boy's or girl's name?

Carys is primarily a girl's name.

When was Carys most popular?

Carys reached its peak popularity in 2006 with 196 births that year. It is currently ranked #4669 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Carys?

Carys is currently ranked #4669 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 2,295 babies since 1991.

Explore More

By Length5-letter names By OriginWelsh names By EndingNames in -s TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1991–2024