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.

# 858 on Nameberry

Carys Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Carys Popularity

Famous People Named Carys

  • Carys Davina "Tanni" GreyThompson, Baroness Grey,Thompson, British MP and former wheelchair racer
  • Carys ParryWelsh hammer thrower
  • Carys HawkinsWelsh,born Australian football player
  • Carys Margaret BannisterBritish neurosurgeon
  • Carys PhillipsWelsh rugby union player
  • Carys Zeta Douglas (b. 2003)daughter of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas

Carys in Pop Culture

  • Cariad is a related Welsh word meaning "sweetheart"
  • Carys Foxa character in Katie Khan's novel "Hold Back the Stars"
  • Carys Lasta character in Alice Osman’s novel “Radio Silence”