Declining since 2005, #1,911 for girls today.
Popularity of Carlee since 1902
Babies named Carlee per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 88 |
| 1920s | 123 |
| 1930s | 107 |
| 1940s | 102 |
| 1950s | 72 |
| 1960s | 84 |
| 1970s | 277 |
| 1980s | 914 |
| 1990s | 3,003 |
| 2000s | 4,214 |
| 2010s | 3,172 |
| 2020s | 821 |
Meaning & origin
Carlee is a modern feminine name that has been in use since the early 1900s, with the first recorded instance in 1902. It reached its peak popularity in 2009, and has since seen a gradual decline, with its trajectory showing a falling trend since 2005. In 2025, the name ranked 1,911th in the U.S., with approximately 1 in every 15,914 newborns named Carlee. The name is most popular in Arkansas and Louisiana, followed by Michigan, suggesting a regional preference in the southern and midwestern United States. The variant spelling Karlee is also common, and the name fits in with a broader trend of -lee ending names that became fashionable in the late 20th century.
Carlee is a 20th-century coinage, formed by combining the sound of names like Carla or Caroline with the popular -lee suffix. Carla itself is a feminine form of Carl, which descends from the Germanic word *karlaz* meaning "free man." Caroline, another source, is a French feminine form of Carolus (Charles). The name Carlee emerged in the early 1900s but became more common in the late 20th century as a variant spelling of Karlee.
Where Carlee is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Car, Lee, Carrie
Sibling names for Carlee
Names that share Carlee's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Carlee
Names whose popularity has moved with Carlee's over the last 50 years.
