The name Carrie derives from the Late Latin name Caria, which was a medieval feminine form of the masculine name Carus. Carus was a Roman family name that meant "beloved" or "dear" in Latin. The name Carrie emerged as a diminutive or pet form of this name during the Middle Ages.

The name Caria can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was used as a feminine form of the name Carus. The earliest recorded use of Caria dates back to the 5th century AD. During this time, it was a relatively uncommon name, primarily used by families of Roman descent.

In the 9th century, the name Caria evolved into the Old French form "Chere," which later became "Chiere" in Anglo-Norman French. This form was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and it eventually evolved into the English name Carrie.

One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Carrie was Carrie Blake, an English Puritan settler who was born in 1609 and emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. Another notable early bearer of the name was Carrie Amelia Moore Nation (1846-1911), an American radical member of the temperance movement.

In literature, the name Carrie gained prominence through the novel "Carrie" by Stephen King, published in 1974. The book's titular character, Carrie White, was a bullied high school student with telekinetic powers. The success of the novel and its film adaptation helped popularize the name in the United States.

Other famous individuals named Carrie throughout history include:

1. Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947), an American women's rights activist and a leader of the women's suffrage movement.
2. Carrie Underwood (born 1983), an American country music singer and songwriter who rose to fame after winning the fourth season of American Idol.
3. Carrie Fisher (1956-2016), an American actress and writer best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars film franchise.
4. Carrie Newcomer (born 1958), an American singer-songwriter and author known for her folk and spiritually-oriented music.
5. Carrie Lam (born 1957), a Hong Kong politician and the current Chief Executive of Hong Kong.