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Charles

♂ Boy

Pronounced CHARLZ /tʃɑːrlz/High

Meaning: Free man; from Germanic Karl (man, free man)High

In 30 seconds: A regal Germanic classic meaning 'free man,' from the same root as Karl and Carlo. Charles has never left the top tier of boys' names across Europe and the U.S.
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Origin HighGermanic
MeaningFree man; from Germanic Karl (man, free man)
Peak year1947
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,386,048

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194718802017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Charles comes from the Germanic Karl, meaning free man or simply man, possibly from an Old High German root karal. It was brought to Britain via the Latin Carolus and Norman French Charles. The name gained enormous prestige through Charlemagne (Charles the Great), whose vast empire and coronation as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 made it the name of kings and emperors across Europe for centuries.

Charles has been a top-tier English boys' name since the medieval period. It was borne by two Kings of England (Charles I and II) and remains the name of the current British king. In the U.S. it has never fallen out of the top 100 and has occupied the top 10 for most of its recorded history. Nicknames Charlie and Chuck give it casual warmth.

Did you know? Charlemagne — 'Charles the Great' — unified much of Western Europe in 800 AD and was so influential that his name (Karl/Charles) became synonymous with kingship across multiple languages.

Variations

CarlKarlCarloCarlosCarolus

Nicknames

CharlieChuckChas

Famous Bearers

  • ★King Charles III (1948–)
    King of the United Kingdom since 2022, formerly Prince of Wales.
  • ★Charles Darwin (1809–1882)
    English naturalist and geologist, best known for developing the theory of evolution by natural selection.

If you like Charles…

William— equally enduring royal English classic with centuries of top-chart dominance
Henry— fellow royal English classic still perpetually in fashion
George— another British royal name with the same unshakeable longevity
Thomas— Biblical/Latin classic that has shared the top tiers with Charles for centuries

Frequently Asked

What does the name Charles mean?

Charles is a Germanic name meaning 'free man,' from Karl — the same root as Charlemagne, Carlo, and Carlos.

How do you pronounce Charles?

It's said CHARLZ /tʃɑːrlz/ — one syllable.

Is Charles a boy or girl name?

Charles is used almost exclusively as a boys' name.

How popular is Charles?

Charles has been in the U.S. top 10 boys' names for most of recorded history and remains a consistent top-20 name.