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Home › Baby Names Directory › Carletta

Carletta

♀ Girl

Pronounced kar-LEH-tuh /kɑːrˈlɛt.ə/Medium

Meaning: Carletta is a feminine diminutive built on Charles or Carl, from Germanic Karl, 'free man,' finished with the Italian -etta, 'little.' It sits with Carla and Carlotta as a woman's form of the classic, meaning something like 'little free one.'Medium

In 30 seconds: Carletta is a feminine Charles with an Italian '-etta' ending — 'little free one' (said 'kar-LEH-tuh'). It peaked around 1970.
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Origin MediumGermanic, Italian
MeaningCarletta is a feminine diminutive built on Charles or Carl, from Germanic Karl, 'free man,' finished with the Italian -etta, 'little.' It sits with Carla and Carlotta as a woman's form of the classic, meaning something like 'little free one.'
U.S. rank (2022)#15754 ↗ Rising
2022 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1970
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,060

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197019142022

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Carletta is a feminine elaboration of Charles or Carl, from Germanic Karl, 'free man,' plus the diminutive -etta. Part of the mid-century taste for flowing -etta names beside Loretta and Coretta, it reached its high near 1970 at close to a hundred girls a year.

A woman named Carletta at that peak is in her fifties today. The name never became widespread and thinned in the following decades, but its clear Charles link and soft rhythm keep it usable; Carla and Carlotta are its nearest kin.

Did you know? Carletta pairs the ancient meaning of Charles, 'free man,' with the affectionate Italian ending -etta, making it a warmer sister to Carla and Carlotta.
Overall data confidence 65%
References — Carletta — Feminine diminutive of Charles/Carl; 1970 peak

Variations

CarlaCarlottaCarletta

Nicknames

CarlaLetta

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Carletta…

Carla— the plain feminine of Charles Carletta elaborates
Carlotta— a same-family fuller Italian form
Loretta— a like -etta name of the same era
Coretta— a same-generation warm -etta name in sound

Explore names like Carletta

By themeitalianmid-centuryfeminine-form

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Carletta mean?

Carletta is a feminine diminutive of Charles or Carl, 'free man,' with the Italian ending meaning 'little.'

How do you pronounce Carletta?

It's said kar-LEH-tuh /kɑːrˈlɛt.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Carletta a boy or girl name?

Carletta is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Carletta?

Carletta was an uncommon mid-century choice that peaked around nineteen-seventy and has been rare since; it hasn't revived.

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