Carlee is an uncommon, yet appealing female given name of American origin. It is essentially a variation of the popular name Carl, which has Germanic roots and means "freeholder" or "strong." This alternative spelling adds a touch of uniqueness without deviating too far from its classic predecessor.
The name Carlee is composed of two elements: 'Car-' and '-lee.' The 'Car-' element is derived from the Latin word 'carus,' meaning "dear," while '-lee' is likely an alteration of the suffix '-ley,' which often signifies association or relation to a place. Thus, Carlee could be interpreted as meaning someone who is dear or precious in relation to a specific location.
In the English-speaking world, particularly in the United States, the name Carlee gained some popularity during the mid-20th century but has since become less common. Despite this, it remains an appealing choice for parents seeking a unique yet familiar name for their daughter.
Interestingly, the name Carlee is not to be confused with the similar-sounding male name Carlo, which has Italian origins and means "strong" or "freeholder." While these names share some similarities in sound, they differ in spelling, meaning, and gender association.
"The name Carlee experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years, peaking at 15 births in 1930 and dipping as low as 5 births in several recent years (1963, 1966, 2003, and 2008). Overall, there were a total of 308 births recorded with this name."