Carolyn

Carolyn is an English feminine name that developed as an altered form of Caroline, itself the French and English feminine form of Carolus, the Latinized version of the Germanic name Karl, meaning free man or full-grown man. The name gained broad popularity in the United States during the early to mid twentieth century, carried in part by its association with the elegance of the Caroline form. Variant spellings include Carolyne and Karolyn, while related forms across languages include Carolina, Carola, and the masculine Charles.