
The short answer
Carly is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Feminine form of Carl. A famous bearer is the American singer Carly Simon (1945-), who inspired a rise in popularity in this name in the 1970s." It ranked #1009 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, feminine form of Carl. A famous bearer is the American singer Carly Simon (1945-), who inspired a rise in popularity in this name in the 1970s. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Carly ranked #1009 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #1009 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Carly in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carly mean?
Behind the Name does not give Carly a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: feminine form of Carl.
Is Carly a popular name?
Carly ranked #1009 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Carly a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Carly appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Carly — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.