Carleene
A feminine given name of English origin meaning "free woman."
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Carleene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Carleene today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Carleene births was 1936 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Carleene. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Carleene is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Carleenes were born before 1955.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Carleene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1936
6 babies that year
Average age
81
years old
1951 SSA rank
#5,503
Tracked since 1930
Popularity
Carleene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Carleene from the 1930s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 11 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Carleene by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Carleene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Carleene
Carleene is a feminine given name with origins rooted in the Old English language. The name is believed to have emerged during the 7th or 8th century, derived from the Germanic root "carl," meaning "man" or "freeman." This root later evolved into the Old English word "ceorl," which referred to a free peasant or commoner.
In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled as "Carlene" or a similar variation. As the name traveled across regions and was influenced by different cultures, it took on various spellings, including "Carlene," "Carline," and eventually, "Carleene."
While there are no known direct references to the name Carleene in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the name's origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era in Britain. During this time, names with the "carl" root were commonly used, reflecting the cultural significance of freemen and commoners.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carleene can be found in the 13th century, when a woman named Carleene de Weston was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, in the year 1275. Another early example is Carleene of Nurnberg, a German noblewoman who lived in the 15th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Carleene. One of the most famous was Carleene Anita Badgett (1917-2011), an American singer and actress who performed under the stage name Carleene Ray. She appeared in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the mid-20th century.
Another notable Carleene was Carleene Brice (1927-2021), an American politician who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1992. She was a prominent advocate for women's rights and education reform.
In the literary world, Carleene Arnold (1914-2005) was an American writer and editor who worked for several major publishing houses, including Harper & Row and Doubleday. She played a significant role in shaping the literary landscape of the 20th century.
Carleene Desiderio (1976-present) is a contemporary American artist and sculptor known for her large-scale public art installations. Her works can be found in various cities across the United States, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Lastly, Carleene Hines (1942-2012) was a renowned American jazz vocalist and pianist. She performed extensively throughout her career, collaborating with notable musicians and leaving a lasting impact on the jazz scene of the late 20th century.
People
Carleene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Carleene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Carleene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Carleene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Carleene going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Carleene a common name?
We classify Carleene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 32 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Carleene most popular?
The single biggest year for Carleene was 1936, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Carleene is about 81 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Carleene in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Carleene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Carleene in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Carleene still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Carleene in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Carleene can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Carleene as a first name?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Carleene at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.