Carlene \c(a)-rle-ne, car-lene\ as a girl's name is of Old German origin, and the meaning of Carlene is "free man". Carlene and Carline are feminine form of Carl or Charles. The Latin form Carlina has been used since 1803, while Carlene became popular in the US since 1919.
Carlene has 17 variant forms: Carlaena, Carleen, Carleena, Carlen, Carlena, Carlenna, Carlina, Carline, Carlyn, Karleen, Karlen, Karlena, Karlene, Karlin, Karlina, Karlyn and Karlynn.
For more information, see also related names Carly, Carla, Carol and Caroline.