Carys

CA-riss (not Care-iss)

Welsh

"love"

Carys Origin and Meaning

The name Carys is a girl's name of Welsh origin meaning "love".

Familiar in Wales and England, this name was introduced to America when Welsh-born Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003. Light, pretty, and distinctive in appearance, it didn't catch on in the US, where it was only given to 22 girls in 2023.

A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in Wales until the late nineteenth century. It reached the Top 200 in the early 2000s but has since fallen back to the latter end of the UK Top 1000.

Carys is one of that sweet group of girls' names with a loving meaning, and this has a subliminal link to the word 'caress.'

Cerys is also heard in Wales.

Carys Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 577 on Nameberry

Popularity of the name Carys

• 577 Nameberry 2025
• 776 England 2023

20 Names Similar to Carys

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Carys.

• Eleni
• Maelle
• Maris
• Elin
• Leora
• Maeva
• Ilsa
• Aida
• Noémie
• Isa
• Selah
• Olena
• Arlette
• Ailsa
• Annora
• Este
• Adélaïde
• Alva
• Eline
• Liora

Famous People Named Carys

• Carys Davina "Tanni" Grey Thompson, Baroness Grey,Thompson, British MP and former wheelchair racer
• Carys Parry Welsh hammer thrower
• Carys Hawkins Welsh,born Australian football player
• Carys Margaret Bannister British neurosurgeon
• Carys Phillips Welsh rugby union player
• Carys Zeta Douglas (b. 2003) daughter of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas

The name Carys in Pop Culture

• Carys Fox a character in Katie Khan's novel "Hold Back the Stars"
• Carys Last a character in Alice Osman’s novel “Radio Silence”