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Charley

♂ Boy

Pronounced CHAHR-lee /ˈt͡ʃɑɹ.li/Medium

Meaning: ManMedium

In 30 seconds: Charley is an English name meaning 'man', a long-loved friendly form of Charles.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningMan

U.S. rank (2024)#1830 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births88 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1920

Total births (all-time)≈ 23,885

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

With the simple meaning 'man', Charley has served for generations as an affectionate everyday version of Charles. Its variants stretch from Charlie and Charly to the punchier Chas and Chaz. Athletes like basketball's Charley Hyatt and football's Charley Trippi gave the name a sporting pedigree.

Charley keeps the warmth of a nickname while standing fully as a name, and it reads as equally at home on a child or an old hand.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Charley is 'man', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Charley — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

CharliCharlieCharlyChasChaz

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Charley Hyatt (1908–1978)
Basketball player.
★Charley Trippi (1921–2022)
Football player.

If you like Charley…

Charly— An alternate spelling of the same name.

Chaz— A snappier respelling of the same short form.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Charley mean?

Charley is usually explained as meaning 'man' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Charley?

It's commonly said CHAHR-lee /ˈt͡ʃɑɹ.li/.

Is Charley a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Charley is used as a boy name.

How popular is Charley?

In 2024, Charley ranked #1830 in the U.S. for boys, with 88 births recorded.