Carol
KAH-ruhl
A name from a joyful song or chant, ultimately tied to a cry of celebration.
Meaning
The excerpt links Carol to "Noel," explaining that the word was sung repeatedly at the end of lauds and then passed into an English carol. In this account, the name’s sense is connected to festive singing and a burst of joy rather than to a personal-name root. In broader usage, Carol is commonly understood as coming through the tradition of Christmas carols and song.
Origin
Old FrenchLatinfeminine
Fun fact
The excerpt says the old cry of Noel could survive in Cornwall with the chorus reshaped by popular speech into "Now well! now well! now well!"
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names.