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Dolly Parton<\/a> and Carl Dean<\/strong> never had children, but there was a time when the couple dreamed about what their family might look like.<\/p>\n They even had a name picked out for a daughter.<\/p>\n Years before her death, Dolly shared the sweet detail about the life she and Carl imagined during their nearly six decades of marriage.<\/p>\n In a 2014 interview with The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Dolly said she and Carl wondered what their children might look like and talked about the possibility of becoming parents.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/em>\u00a0<\/b>Inside Dolly Parton and Carl Dean’s 60-Year Love Story<\/a><\/p>\n “You always wonder. My husband and I, when we first got married, we thought about if we had kids, what would they look like?” Dolly said.<\/p>\n If they had welcomed a daughter, there was already a name waiting for her.<\/p>\n If we’d had a girl, she was gonna be called Carla. Anyway, we talked about it, and we dreamed it. But it wasn’t meant to be.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Dolly and Carl married in 1966 and remained together until his death in March 2025.<\/p>\n Dolly later reflected that she believed she would have been a devoted mother, but she also understood how dramatically children might have changed the life she ultimately built.<\/p>\n I would have been a great mother, I think. I would probably have given up everything else. Because I would’ve felt guilty about that, if I’d have left them [to work, to tour]. Everything would have changed. I probably wouldn’t have been a star.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Instead, Dolly poured that love into her family and into children around the world.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/em>\u00a0<\/b>Dolly Parton’s Sister Reveals Their Beautiful Morning Tradition<\/a><\/p>\n She was deeply involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews and created the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth through age 5.<\/p>\n Dolly met Carl shortly after arriving in Nashville. They married on May 30, 1966, in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, attended by Dolly’s mother, the preacher, and his wife.<\/p>\n They remained together for nearly six decades, until Carl died in March 2025.<\/p>\n Dolly died Tuesday (Aug. 25) at 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death<\/a>, saying her family and the team overseeing her legacy would work to keep her spirit alive.<\/p>\n Dolly never got to meet the daughter she and Carl once imagined. But the name Carla remained a small, tender piece of the life they dreamed about together.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Dolly Parton’s funny quips and words of wisdom are so memorable they’ve earned their own name: Dollyisms! Here are 14 of her best quotes through the years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDolly and Carl’s Baby Name<\/h3>\n
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Dolly’s Life Without Children<\/h3>\n
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Dolly and Carl’s Life Together<\/h3>\n
Dolly Knows Best: Dolly Parton’s 14 Best Quotes<\/h2>\n