Carly

Carly is an English feminine name that originated as a pet form of Carla or Carlotta, themselves feminine variants of the Germanic name Karl, rooted in the Old High German word meaning man or free man. The name gained widespread popularity in the English-speaking world during the latter half of the twentieth century, partly through the influence of American singer-songwriter Carly Simon. Related forms include Carla, Karla, Carly, Carley, and Karlie, all ultimately tracing back to the same Germanic root shared by Charles and Carl.