Carol (given name)

Carol
Gender	Unisex
Language	English, Romanian
Origin
Languages	English, Germanic, Latin
Region of origin	Europe
Other names
Variant forms	Carroll ; Carrol ; Caroll ; Caryl ; Caryll ; Karyl ; Carole ; Carolle ;
Related names	Karol, Caroly, Carola, Carolus, Charles, Carl, Caroline, Carolina, Carrie

Last updated November 04, 2025

Carol is a unisex given name in English, although in contemporary usage it is more commonly used for women. It is a variant of the English Charles, Germanic Carl, and Latin Carolus. Spelling variations include Carroll, Caryl, Carole.

People

Female

Carol Alt (born 1960), American model and actress
Carol Remmer Angle (born 1927), American pediatrician, nephrologist, and toxicologist
Carol Anstey, Canadian politician
Carol Banawa (born 1981), Filipino singer and actress
Carol Jenkins Barnett (1956–2021), American businesswoman and philanthropist
Carol Beaumont, (born 1960), New Zealand unionist and Labour Party politician
Carol Joyce Blumberg, American statistician
Carol Moseley Braun (born 1947), American politician and lawyer, first African-American woman elected to the US Senate
Carol Breen (born 1986), Irish footballer and Aussie rules player
Carol Burnett (born 1933), American comedian and actress
Carol Channing (1921–2019), American singer, actress and comedian
Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023), American mystery writer, daughter of writer Mary Higgins Clark
Carol Corrado, American economist
Carol A. Gotway Crawford, American mathematical statistician
Carol Lynn Curchoe (born 1979), American reproductive biologist
Carol Dartora (born 1983), Brazilian politician, teacher and activist
Carol Dempster (1901–1991), American actress
Carol Folt (born 1951), president of the University of Southern California
Carol W. Greider (born 1961), American molecular biologist
Carol Hall (1936–2018), American composer and lyricist
Carol Hall (politician), 21st century American politician
Carol K. Hall, 20th-21st century American chemical engineer
Carol Harrison (born 1955), British actress and writer
Carol F. Henry (born 1939), American philanthropist
Carol Henry (photographer) (born 1960), American fine arts photographer
Carol Hirschfeld (born 1964), New Zealand journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, and media executive
Carol Jeffrey (1898–1998), English psychotherapist and writer
Carol Johnson (disambiguation), various women, one man and a fictional character
Carol Kane (born 1952), American actress
Carol Kaye (born 1935), American bass guitarist and session musician
Carol Kazeem, Pennsylvania State Representative
Carol Lawrence (born 1932), American actress
Carol D. Lee (born 1945), American academic and President of the National Academy of Education
Carol Lewis (born 1963), American long jumper
Carol Lunetta Cianca (1898–2002) Sicilian-born writer
Carol Lynley (1942–2019), American actress
Carol Mafagane, South African politician
Carol Mann (1941–2018), American golfer
Carol Marett (born 1944), New Zealand cricketer
Carol Mavor, American writer and professor
Carol Mutch (born 1953), New Zealand education academic
Carol Owens (disambiguation)
Carol Oyler, (born 1947) New Zealand cricketer
Carol Quillen, University president
Carol Phiri, South African politician
Carol Rabadi, Jordanian pilot
Carol Rhodes (1959–2018), Scottish painter
Carol Roberts (footballer) (born 1964), New Zealand footballer
Carol Roberts (politician) (born 1936), American politician
Carol R. Roberts (born 1942), American politician
Carol Rubin (1945–2001), American film producer
Carol Shand (born 1939), New Zealand doctor and advocate for women's health
Carol Spradling (born 1950), American professor
Carol Speed (1945–2022), American actress, author and singer-songwriter
Carol M. Swain, American political scientist
Carol Thatcher (born 1953), British journalist, author and media personality, daughter of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher
Carol J. Thiele, American microbiologist and cancer researcher
Carol Tomcala (born 1954), Australian sports shooter
Carol Twombly (born 1959), American designer
Carol Vorderman (born 1960), British television presenter
Carol Wayne (1942–1985), American actress
Carol Wham, New Zealand scientist and professor of public health nutrition
Carol Zhao (born 1995), Canadian tennis player

Men

Carol I of Romania (1839–1914), King of Romania
Carol II of Romania (1893–1953), King of Romania
Carol Victor, Hereditary Prince of Albania (1913–1973), Prince of Albania
Carol Antonio Altamirano (born 1963), Mexican politician and lawyer
Carol Ardeleanu (1883–1949), Romanian writer
Carol Bartha (1923–1976), Romanian footballer
Carol Bedö (born 1930), Romanian gymnast
Carol Benesch (1822–1896), Silesian architect
Carol Burdan (born 1912), Romanian footballer
Carol Corbu (born 1946), Romanian athlete
Carol Creiniceanu (1939–2012), Romanian footballer
Carol Davila (1828–1884), Romanian physician
Carol Wallenstein de Vella (1795–1858), Croatian-born Romanian painter, art professor, and museographer
Carol Fellowes, 4th Baron Ailwyn (1896–1988), British peer
Carol Frech (1896–1959), Romanian striker
Carol Haidu (1942–2022), Romanian footballer
Carol Henry (actor) (1918–1987), American actor
Carol Johnson (British politician) (1903–2000), British politician
Carol Lambrino (1920–2006), eldest son of Carol II
Carol Lindroos (1930–2001) Finnish athlete
Carol Mather (1919–2006), British soldier and politician
Carol G. Montgomery (1909–1950), American physicist
Carol Partoș (1936–2015), Romanian and Swiss chess player
Carol "Cass" Pennant, English writer and former football hooligan
Carol Reed (1906–1976), British film director
Carol Summers (1925–2016), American printmaker
Carol Schuurman (1934–2009), Dutch footballer
Carol Scrob (1856–1913), Romanian poet
Carol Storck (1854–1926), Romanian sculptor
Carol Szathmari (1812–1887), Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian painter and photographer
Carol Telbisz (1853–1914), Austro-Hungarian politician
Carol Vadnais (1945–2014), Canadian National Hockey League player
Carol Vance, American attorney and politician
Carol Vereș (1926–2017), Romanian rower
Carol Voges (1925–2001), Dutch illustrator and cartoonist
Cully Wilson (1892–1962), Canadian ice hockey player

Fictional characters

Carol (Dilbert), the Pointy-Haired Boss's secretary in the Dilbert comic strip
Carol Aird (née Ross), a main character in Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt and its film adaptation Carol
Carol Beer, in the British comedy sketch series Little Britain
Carol Brady, the mother in the television series The Brady Bunch , played by Florence Henderson
Carol Burnett, an airline pilot in seasons four and five of the television series 30 Rock , played by Matt Damon
Carol Danvers, a Marvel Comics superhero, formerly known as Ms. Marvel, currently known as Captain Marvel
Carol David, on the American sitcom Soap
Carol Ferris, a DC Comics character, one of many using the name Star Sapphire, initially a supervillain, later a superhero
Carol Anne Freeling, main character in all three Poltergeist film series
Carol Hathaway, in the television series ER
Carol Holiday, in the video game Deltarune
Carol Jackson, in the British soap opera EastEnders
Carol Kester, receptionist in the American sitcom The Bob Newhart Show
Carol Foster-Lambert (née Williams), in the sitcom Step by Step , played by Suzanne Somers
Carol Peletier, in the comic book and television series The Walking Dead
Carol Post, in the television series Mister Ed
Caroline Anne "Carol" Seaver, in the American television sitcom Growing Pains
Carol Tea, in the video game Freedom Planet
Carol Willick, Ross Geller's lesbian ex-wife in NBC sitcom Friends

Carol (given name)

Contents

People

Female

Men

Fictional characters

See also