Carrie is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Cara or Kerrie. The name Cara is ultimately derived from the Irish Gaelic word "carra" which means "beloved". Therefore, Carrie can be translated to mean "loved one" or "dear".
The use of the name Carrie dates back to medieval times in England, but it was not widely used until the 19th century. In the United States, Carrie became particularly popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, peaking at number six on the list of most popular girls' names in 1880.
The name Carrie has been immortalized in popular culture through various characters, including Carrie Bradshaw from the TV series "Sex and the City" and Carrie White from Stephen King's novel "Carrie". However, these fictional representations are not necessarily reflective of the history or meaning of the name Carrie itself.
The name Carrie has been a popular choice for parents in the United States since at least the late 19th century. The earliest data available shows that there were 949 babies named Carrie born in the United States in 1880. This number increased slightly over the next few years, reaching a peak of 3979 births in 1968.
However, after this peak, the popularity of the name Carrie began to decline steadily. By the year 2000, there were only 536 babies named Carrie born in the United States. This downward trend continued into the 21st century, with the number of births decreasing each year until reaching a low of just 68 births in 2022 and 2023.
Overall, between 1880 and 2023, there have been a total of 266,232 babies named Carrie born in the United States. While the name was once quite popular, it has since fallen out of favor with parents and is now relatively rare.