Carol

Carol is an English name derived from the Old French and Medieval Latin forms of the Germanic name Carolus, itself rooted in a Proto-Germanic element meaning man or free man. It came into widespread English use as a feminine name during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, likely influenced by the word carol meaning a joyful song, which softened its earlier masculine connotations. The name shares its origin with Charles, Carlo, Karl, and Carolina, forming a broad family of cognates across European languages.