Total births
9,694
Unisex name · since 1918
Karol
Since 1918, U.S. Social Security records show 9,694 babies named Karol, peaking in 2005. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3701
- among girls today
- 9,694
- born since 1918
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Karol is the #3701 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 9,694 recorded since 1918.
Karol has 9,694 recorded births among girls since 1918, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3701 as of the latest data, more common than 79% 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 1918 to 2025.
- #3701 among girls today
- 9,694 born since 1918
- 1950s peak decade
- 79% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Karol is currently the #3701 unisex name in America, more common than 79% of girls - 9,694 born since 1918, peaking in the 1950s.
- #3701
- among girls today
- 9,694
- born since 1918
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 79%
- more common than other girls
Karol vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3701
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 79% of names given to girls today.
1950s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Karol was born in this single decade.
2005
Single peak year
316 babies were named Karol in 2005 - its busiest year on record.
How Karol compares
9,694 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
Karol's all-time total is 25x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Karol | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,694 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 316 | 48 | 19,840 |
Karol's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Karol splits its recorded history at 1973: 30% of all births land in the more recent half, 70% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1918 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2005 peak of 316 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Karol at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2005
Current rank
#3,701
Active since
1918
Karol popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–2025
- Peak year (2005)
- 316
- Annual births at peak, across 108 years of records
Karol popularity over time - boys
1,437 total births recorded since 1911 (Karol as boys' name)
Karol by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Karol's strongest decade.
2,215 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Karol births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 65
1920s
65 births
- 1930s 569
1930s
569 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,951 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,215 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,776 births
- 1970s 488
1970s
488 births
- 1980s 239
1980s
239 births
- 1990s 350
1990s
350 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,009 births
- 2010s 714
2010s
714 births
- 2020s 313
2020s
313 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 2,215 births (23% of all-time use).
How Karol 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 Karol's total volume
Karol vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Karol by state
Where Karol concentrates geographically, total births since 1918
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,100 | 11.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 806 | 8.3% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 521 | 5.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 484 | 5.0% |
| #5 | New York | | 468 | 4.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 398 | 4.1% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 318 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 259 | 2.7% |
California share of Karol's total US births 11.3%
Even split
1,100 of 9,694 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Karol appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karol? ▼
Since 1918, Social Security records show 9,694 babies named Karol. Today it holds rank #3701 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2005, with 316 births.
When was Karol most popular? ▼
Karol was most popular in the 1950s decade with 2,215 total births. The single peak year was 2005.
Where is Karol most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karol are California (1,100 births), Texas (806 births), Michigan (521 births).
Is Karol a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Karol is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 9,694 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,437 births.
How long has the name Karol been used? ▼
Records for Karol go back to 1918, giving 108 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Karol? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karen, Kara, Karla, Karina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Karol's data
- Karol's decade-level peak was the 1950s (2,215 total births); usage has since declined to 313 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Karols (1,100 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 Karol
Nearby Names Like Karol
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karol
Karen Girl
#1251 987,989 births
Kara Girl
#990 101,743 births
Karla Girl
#733 91,586 births
Karina Girl
#772 61,464 births
Kari Girl
#1843 59,696 births
Compare Karol side by side: Karol vs Karen Karol vs Kara Karol vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Karol
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, 1918–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karol: #3701 Unisex Name - 9,694 Births, Peak 2005." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karol. 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 Karol 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.