Where does the name Carlos come from?

Carlos is a boy name of Germanic origin.

Is Carlos a boy or a girl name?

Carlos is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Carlos are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Carlos in 2023?

Carlos ranks #15648 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2001 with 6,864 babies.

How do you pronounce Carlos?

Carlos is pronounced KAR-los (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Carlos?

Carlos is also written as Charles, Karl, Carlo.

A name from Germanic · Boy

Carlos

Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles, from Germanic karl meaning 'free man'. Borne by kings of Spain and emperors of Austria; one of the most enduring names of the Iberian Peninsula.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

301,992 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

2,562 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

CSpanish and Portuguese form of Charles, from Germanic karl meaning 'free man'. Borne by kings of Spain and emperors of Austria; one of the most enduring names of the Iberian Peninsula.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Carlos".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Charles Most common Karl Carlo

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Carlos.

C
Carlos Santana (guitarist)
C
Carlos Slim (business magnate)
C
Don Carlos (Verdi opera)

Quick answers

People often ask about Carlos.

What does the name Carlos mean?: Carlos means spanish and Portuguese form of Charles, from Germanic karl meaning 'free man'. Borne by kings of Spain and emperors of Austria; one of the most enduring names of the Iberian Peninsula.
Where does the name Carlos come from?: Carlos is a boy name of Germanic origin.
Is Carlos a boy or a girl name?: Carlos is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Carlos are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Carlos in 2023?: Carlos ranks #15648 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2001 with 6,864 babies.
How do you pronounce Carlos?: Carlos is pronounced KAR-los (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Carlos?: Carlos is also written as Charles, Karl, Carlo.

Similar names

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Robert

#88

Boy ·Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

From Old High German Ricohard — rīc, "ruler, power," + hard, "brave, strong" — i

Ruler of the home; estate ruler

Walter

#267

Boy ·Germanic

From Old High German Walthari — wald, "rule," + hari, "army" — i

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.