Carly is of Welsh origin and means 'strong, vigorous'. It's a variant of Carl and also shares the same meaning as its sister names Carla and Carol. In recent years, Carly has become increasingly popular as a given name for girls, likely due to its unisex appeal and modern sound.
"The name Carly peaked in popularity during the mid-80s with 14 births in 1986 and remained relatively common until the late 90s, after which its usage declined steadily. Over the period of 1973 to 2007, a total of 160 children were named Carly."