Carl
A boys’ name of Old Norse origin, meaning free man; a form of Charles.
How Carl has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #599 |
| 2016 | #605 |
| 2017 | #628 |
| 2018 | #701 |
| 2019 | #750 |
| 2020 | #810 |
| 2021 | #923 |
| 2023 | #961 |
Carl by the numbers
In 2025, 14 babies in England and Wales were named Carl. In the US, 411 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given several times more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 8,304 babies in 1956, so it is a 1950s name that has since fallen a long way.
Names that come from Carl
Forms of Carl in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Carlya free person; a form of Carla or Carl687 in the US (2017)
- Carliefree man; a form of Carl or Charlie217 in the US (2017)
- Karleighfree man; a feminine invented spelling of Carl181 in the US (2017)
- Carleyfree man; a form of Carl or Charles146 in the US (2017)
- Carlynnfree man; a feminine form of Carl25 in the US (2017)
- Carlsonson of Carl; free man17 in the US (2017)
Other names that come from Charles
Like Carl, each of these traces back to Charles: a form of it, a name built from it, or a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Charlottefree woman; feminine form of Charles12,900 in the US (2017)
- Carolinefree woman; feminine form of Charles4,270 in the US (2017)
- Charleyfree man; a form of Charles703 in the US (2017)
- Charleighfree man; a form of Charles667 in the US (2017)
- Charlifree man; a form of Charles526 in the US (2017)
- Charlizefree man; a form of Charles185 in the US (2017)
- Charlenefree person; a form of Charles152 in the US (2017)
- Carleyfree man; a form of Carl or Charles146 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Carl. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Sounds like Carl
Names that are said the same way as Carl, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.
- Karlfree man141 in the US (2017)
Other names that mean freedom
Like Carl, each of these has freedom in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Charlesfree man7,142 in the US (2017)
- Maverickindependent, unbranded4,737 in the US (2017)
- Charliefree man1,679 in England and Wales (2025)
- Carlosfree man; a form of Charles3,058 in the US (2017)
- Franciscofree man, frenchman; from Franciscus1,398 in the US (2017)
- Frankiefree man; a form of Frank887 in England and Wales (2025)
Names about as common as Carl
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