The name Carlisle originated in the medieval English town of the same name, located in the county of Cumbria in the northwest of England. The name is derived from the Old English words "cær" meaning "fort" and "lēah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow", referring to the strategic location of the town as a walled settlement in a clearing.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Carlisle comes from the Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People, written in the 8th century AD. Bede mentions the town of Carlisle (referred to as Caer Luel) as the site of an important battle between the Britons and the Angles in the 7th century.

In the Middle Ages, the name Carlisle became associated with the powerful bishopric and cathedral city of the same name. The Bishop of Carlisle was an influential figure in the region, and the name may have been adopted as a given name by those with connections to the city or the bishopric.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Carlisle was Carlisle of Bury St Edmunds, a 12th-century monk and hagiographer who wrote a life of St Edmund, the patron saint of the town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England.

Another notable bearer of the name was Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021), an American opera composer and librettist best known for his operas Susannah and Of Mice and Men. His works are celebrated for their incorporation of American themes and settings.

In the realm of literature, Carlisle Cullen is a character in the popular Twilight series of novels by Stephenie Meyer. He is a member of the Cullen family of vampires and is portrayed as a compassionate and highly skilled doctor.

Sir Carlisle Spedding (1888-1936) was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Fiji from 1933 to 1936. He played a key role in the development of the island nation during his tenure.

One of the earliest recorded female bearers of the name was Carlisle Pollock Floyd (1915-1982), an American painter and artist known for her abstract expressionist works. She was part of the influential New York School of artists in the mid-20th century.