Charles
A boys’ name of Germanic origin, meaning free man.
How Charles has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #50 |
| 2016 | #51 |
| 2017 | #48 |
| 2018 | #53 |
| 2019 | #52 |
| 2020 | #46 |
| 2021 | #50 |
| 2022 | #50 |
| 2023 | #54 |
| 2024 | #51 |
| 2025 | #48 |
Charles by the numbers
In 2025, 437 babies in England and Wales were named Charles. In the US, 7,142 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 40,772 babies in 1947, so it is a 1940s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1880, about 1 in 22 American boys born that year was called Charles.
Names that come from Charles
Forms of Charles in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean 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)
- Charleighfree man; a form of Charles667 in the US (2017)
- Charlifree man; a form of Charles526 in the US (2017)
- Carlfree man; a form of Charles411 in the US (2017)
- Charlizefree man; a form of Charles185 in the US (2017)
- Charlenefree person; a form of Charles152 in the US (2017)
- Carlofree man; Italian form of Charles27 in England and Wales (2025)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Charles. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Charleyfree man; a form of Charles703 in the US (2017)
- Carlesa form of Charles; free man or strong6 in the US (2017)
- Charliefree man1,679 in England and Wales (2025)
- Carlosfree man; a form of Charles3,058 in the US (2017)
- Charlyfree man; a form of Charles87 in the US (2017)
- Charisgrace, kindness29 in England and Wales (2025)
Other names that mean freedom
Like Charles, each of these has freedom in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Maverickindependent, unbranded4,737 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)
- Frankfree man272 in England and Wales (2025)
- Francisfree man; from the Franks262 in England and Wales (2025)
- Franklinfree landowner; from frank158 in England and Wales (2025)
Names about as common as Charles
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