Namesake.

Charles

Boy Germanic /CHARLZ/ #10472 in 2023

Charles is a boy name of Germanic origin.

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Meaning of Charles

Free man; strong. From 'ceorl'.

Popularity of Charles

Popularity, 1880–2023
5,424 births in 2023
1880 2023

2,423,092 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023. Used for both boys and girls — see notes below.

Peak year
1947
40,917 babies
First recorded
1880
Earliest SSA data
Recent trend
Falling
Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

CharlieCarlosCarlKarl
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Famous people named Charles

  • Charles Darwin
  • Charles Dickens

Similar names

Robert
Boy · Germanic
Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)
William
Boy · Germanic
Resolute protector
Christopher
Boy · Greek
Christ-bearer
Carol
Girl · Germanic languages
Shortened from Caroline
Emma
Girl · Germanic
Whole, universal
Henry
Boy · Germanic
Ruler of the home; estate ruler
Cynthia
Girl · Ancient Greek
from Κυνθία, feminine of Κύνθιος
Catherine
Girl · Ancient Greek
from Αἰκατερίνη, Ἑκατερίνη, of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος, or from the name of the goddess Hecate
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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.