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Charlaine
Pronounced shar-LAYN /ʃɑrˈleɪn/Medium
Meaning: Charlaine is a feminine elaboration in the Charlene family, built on Charles from the Germanic Karl meaning free man or manly, dressed with a French-flavored -aine ending.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Charlaine is one of several feminine spins on Charles that flourished early last century, a sister to Charlene and Charline with a softer -aine tail. The novelist Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse books, is a well-known bearer.
The spelling stayed rare, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak, though the broader Charlene family was more common. A woman named Charlaine from the nineteen-thirties would be in her late eighties today. The name has a poised, old-Hollywood feel.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Charlaine Harris (b. 1951)American author of the Sookie Stackhouse mystery novels
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Charlaine mean?
It is a feminine form linked to Charlene and Charles, from the Germanic Karl meaning free man.
How do you pronounce Charlaine?
It is said shar-LAYN /ʃɑrˈleɪn/, two syllables with the stress on the second.
Is Charlaine a boy or girl name?
Charlaine is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Charlaine?
It has always been rare, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-thirties.