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Home › Baby Names Directory › Charla

Charla

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHAR-lah /ˈʃɑːr.lə/Medium

Meaning: Charla is a feminine form of Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man'. It sits alongside Charlene and Carla as a mid-century way to make Charles a girl's name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Charles for a girl: Charla means 'free man' at root (said 'SHAR-lah'), a soft mid-century feminine.
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Origin MediumGermanic, English
MeaningCharla is a feminine form of Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man'. It sits alongside Charlene and Carla as a mid-century way to make Charles a girl's name.
U.S. rank (2023)#15663 ↘ Falling
2023 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1969
Total births (all-time)≈ 8,026

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196919172023

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

Charla is a feminine form of Charles, whose Germanic root means 'free man'. Like Charlene and Carla, it belonged to a mid-century fashion for softening male classics for girls, cresting around 1969. It rose with that trend and faded as it passed.

Uncommon now, it reads as a gentle period feminine. Smooth, warm, and of its decade.

Did you know? Charla turns Charles — 'free man' — into a smooth two-beat girl's name, one of several such feminines that peaked around 1969.
Overall data confidence 65%
References — Charla — Feminine of Charles; Germanic 'free man'

Variations

CharleneCharlaineSharla

Nicknames

CharCharlie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Charla…

Charlene— a like Charles feminine of the era
Carla— a similar Charles-rooted girl's name
Charlotte— the classic Charles feminine
Sharla— a near-identical variant in sound

Explore names like Charla

By themevintagesoft1960sfeminine-form

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Charla mean?

Charla is a feminine form of Charles, from a Germanic root meaning 'free man'.

How do you pronounce Charla?

It's said SHAR-lah /ˈʃɑːr.lə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Charla a boy or girl name?

Charla is used as a girl's name.

Is Charla making a comeback?

Charla is uncommon today and reads as a soft mid-century feminine rather than a current favorite.

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