Karl

♂ Boy

Pronounced KARL /kɑɹl/Medium

Meaning: German/Scandinavian form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man, common man'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Karl is the German and Scandinavian form of Charles, from the Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man' or 'common man'.

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Origin MediumGerman, Scandinavian

MeaningGerman/Scandinavian form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' meaning 'free man, common man'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1593 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births107 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1960

Total births (all-time)≈ 100,840

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

Karl grows from the Germanic word 'karl', which described a free man or common man, and serves as the German and Scandinavian counterpart to Charles. The name stayed prominent across German-speaking and Nordic countries through centuries of use. The philosopher and economist Karl Marx, who lived from 1818 to 1883, is among its most recognized bearers.

Karl is crisp and direct, a single strong syllable that suits its 'free man' meaning. It sits right beside the English-spelled Carl and the Finnish forms Kaarle and Kaarlo within the same Charles family.

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

Overall data confidence 78%

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

Variations

CarlKaarleKaarloCarolusCarles

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Karl Marx (1818-1883)
German philosopher, economist, and political theorist whose writings, including 'The Communist Manifesto' and 'Das Kapital', founded modern communist thought.

If you like Karl…

Carl— The English spelling of the same name, listed among Karl's variations.

Charles— The name Karl is the German and Scandinavian form of.

Kurt— another German name

Klaus— another German name

Hans— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Karl

By themegerman swedish

By meaningFreedom

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karl mean?

Karl is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Karl?

It's commonly said KARL /kɑɹl/.

Is Karl a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Karl?

In 2024, Karl ranked #1688 in the U.S. for boys, with 99 births recorded.