Total births
1,170
Girls' name · since 1894
Carola
Since 1894, U.S. Social Security records show 1,170 babies named Carola, peaking in 1961. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10307
- among girls today
- 1,170
- born since 1894
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other girls
1,170 babies have been named Carola since 1894, making it today's #10307 girls' name.
Carola has 1,170 recorded births among girls since 1894, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #10307 as of the latest data, more common than 42% of girls, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1894 to 2025.
- #10307 among girls today
- 1,170 born since 1894
- 1950s peak decade
- 42% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Carola is currently the #10307 girls' name in America, more common than 42% of girls - 1,170 born since 1894, peaking in the 1950s.
- #10307
- among girls today
- 1,170
- born since 1894
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other girls
Carola vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#10307
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 42% of names given to girls today.
1950s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Carola was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
29 babies were named Carola in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Carola compares
1,170 Top 29% higher than 71% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Carola's all-time total is 3x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carola | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,170 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 29 | 48 | 19,840 |
Carola's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Carola's full recorded timeline at 1955, 45% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 55% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1895, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1961 peak of 29 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Carola at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#10,307
Active since
1894
Carola popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 29
- Annual births at peak, across 132 years of records
Carola by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Carola's strongest decade.
169 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Carola births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 29
1890s
29 births
- 1900s 34
1900s
34 births
- 1910s
1910s
108 births
- 1920s
1920s
102 births
- 1930s
1930s
120 births
- 1940s
1940s
158 births
- 1950s
1950s
169 births
- 1960s
1960s
157 births
- 1970s
1970s
83 births
- 1980s 50
1980s
50 births
- 1990s 33
1990s
33 births
- 2000s 48
2000s
48 births
- 2010s 39
2010s
39 births
- 2020s 40
2020s
40 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 169 births (14% of all-time use).
How Carola compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Carola's total volume
Carola vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Carola by state
Where Carola concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 16 | 1.4% |
| #2 | New York | | 16 | 1.4% |
| #3 | Texas | | 11 | 0.9% |
California share of Carola's total US births 1.4%
Even split
16 of 1,170 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Carola? ▼
Carola has been given to 1,170 babies in the U.S. since 1894, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #10307 as of the latest data. 29 babies were born in 1961, its single highest year.
When was Carola most popular? ▼
Carola was most popular in the 1950s decade with 169 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Carola most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Carola are California (16 births), New York (16 births), Texas (11 births).
How long has the name Carola been used? ▼
Carola has been recorded in Social Security data since 1894, spanning 132 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Carola? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Carol, Carolyn, Carrie, Caroline, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Carola's data
- Carola's decade-level peak was the 1950s (169 total births); usage has since declined to 40 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Carolas (16 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carola
Nearby Names Like Carola
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carola
Carol Girl
#2639 816,928 births
Carolyn Girl
#1160 556,777 births
Carrie Girl
#3013 266,350 births
Caroline Girl
#92 250,410 births
Carla Girl
#1009 150,390 births
Compare Carola side by side: Carola vs Carol Carola vs Carolyn Carola vs Carrie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carola
Larue #10306
3,980 births · Peak 1920
Charline #10308
6,241 births · Peak 1928
Ivery #10305
505 births · Peak 2020
Lulia #10309
193 births · Peak 2014
Angelle #10304
1,917 births · Peak 2002
Marcelle #10310
5,414 births · Peak 1920
Aleta #10303
6,446 births · Peak 1947
Isma #10311
108 births · Peak 1914
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1894–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Carola: #10307 Girls' Name - 1,170 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/carola. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Carola draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.