What does the name Charles mean

Charles is a ♂ boy’s name.

What is the origin of the name Charles?

The boy’s name Charles derived from the Germanic name Karl, which originates in the name Hariolus.

What does the name Charles mean?

Charles means “man” (from Germanic “karal”), “free man” (from Middle Low German “kerle”) and “warrior”, “army” (from Old High German “heri”).

Pronunciation of Charles

Parents who like the name Charles also like

William James Jack Charlotte Thomas Benjamin Samuel Matthew Alexander Lucas Nathan Emma Noah Ethan Olivia Isaac Luke Joseph Sebastian Daniel

Popularity of the name Charles

The name Charles is ranked #2267 overall.

Charles in the Top 50 Names


  • Charles Name Origin: German
  • Pronunciation: ch(arr)-uhlz
  • See what 5 people think about Charles

Charles Name Meaning

A dapper pick with an enviable meaning, Charles has been a long-standing favorite for parents. He is a name of strength, but don’t be fooled into thinking he doesn’t have a soft side.

Coming from German roots, Charles has a unique sound that isn’t common across the Top 100. As a rule, the Ch- sound start isn’t as widespread in boy names as hot letters like J and A. This allows a little Charles to have a distinguished sound from his classmates.

Charles is a serious name that is wise beyond his years. He’s a stately pick with old-soul vibes, a stylish name among today’s modern monikers. He’s stood the test of time with good reason, having a posh air to him that reeks of success. A little Charles is an ambitious one with a hunger for learning, working hard at his goals while studying diligently.

Charles comes with the adorable nickname of Charlie as well as a few less popular picks like Chuck, Carl, and Chase. He can be dressed up and down as you choose and is a great name to grow with your little one.

The name has enjoyed years of popularity, but he’s hardly overused. Like Thomas and Robert, he’s seen his share of Top 100 rankings, but has cooled off enough to remain fresh. He isn’t at all dated, cementing himself as a classic.

  • Share
  • Pin
  • Email
  • Text

What does the name Charles mean

Charles Name Popularity

How popular is the name Charles? Here’s everything we know.

  • Chart
  • Raw Data
  • By State

YearRank# Births% Births
19107 4,781 1.3579%
19117 5,721 1.5363%
19127 11,070 2.1951%
19137 13,186 2.3257%
19147 16,937 2.4303%
19157 21,959 2.4169%
19166 23,612 2.4443%
19177 24,144 2.4133%
19185 26,923 2.5086%
19195 25,191 2.4057%
19205 28,308 2.546%
19215 29,246 2.5541%
19225 28,840 2.5887%
19235 28,960 2.5856%
19245 30,461 2.6231%
19255 29,581 2.6171%
19265 29,521 2.684%
19275 31,935 2.885%
19285 31,245 2.9202%
19295 29,932 2.8897%
19306 31,860 3.05%
19316 29,924 3.0319%
19326 31,097 3.1476%
19336 28,985 3.1111%
19347 29,791 3.0817%
19356 29,975 3.0845%
19366 29,083 3.0192%
19376 30,519 3.0971%
19386 31,137 3.0415%
19396 30,785 3.0264%
19406 31,685 2.981%
19416 32,728 2.9079%
19427 35,845 2.8386%
19437 36,628 2.8057%
19447 34,650 2.7958%
19457 32,463 2.6618%
19469 38,200 2.5888%
19479 40,772 2.4425%
19489 38,677 2.4228%
19499 40,043 2.4893%
19509 39,099 2.4283%
19519 39,405 2.3241%
19529 38,875 2.2271%
19539 38,401 2.1698%
195410 37,443 2.0483%
195511 35,355 1.9221%
195611 35,207 1.8641%
195711 34,252 1.78%
195811 32,236 1.7057%
195911 30,762 1.6191%
196013 29,676 1.5662%
196113 29,189 1.5461%
196215 27,590 1.5028%
196316 26,784 1.4921%
196417 25,900 1.4714%
196520 23,492 1.4365%
196620 22,257 1.4255%
196720 21,295 1.4032%
196820 21,575 1.4368%
196919 21,678 1.4071%
197021 22,432 1.4096%
197122 19,854 1.3212%
197223 16,980 1.2467%
197323 15,756 1.2153%
197423 15,153 1.1659%
197525 14,581 1.1347%
197626 13,937 1.0814%
197726 14,743 1.0937%
197827 14,849 1.1045%
197928 14,825 1.0514%
198029 14,961 1.0232%
198131 14,429 0.9816%
198231 14,306 0.9573%
198333 13,211 0.8953%
198433 12,939 0.8698%
198534 12,893 0.8494%
198634 12,620 0.8361%
198735 12,170 0.7975%
198837 12,102 0.7766%
198936 12,247 0.7589%
199038 11,992 0.7235%
199138 11,333 0.6953%
199243 10,468 0.6558%
199344 9,855 0.6321%
199443 9,014 0.5874%
199544 8,473 0.5622%
199643 8,247 0.5508%
199749 7,655 0.5176%
199848 7,847 0.5243%
199950 7,524 0.5024%
200051 7,524 0.4925%
200155 7,282 0.4833%
200258 7,207 0.4809%
200357 7,693 0.5057%
200456 7,649 0.5019%
200556 7,926 0.5184%
200660 8,009 0.5115%
200762 7,450 0.4722%
200863 7,283 0.4712%
200963 7,283 0.4873%
201063 7,095 0.4923%
201161 6,977 0.4897%
201261 6,935 0.4867%
201357 7,012 0.4925%
201451 7,339 0.5037%
201550 7,177 0.4933%
201651 7,098 0.4923%
201749 7,130 0.5109%
201852 6,604 0.4807%
201951 6,348 0.4689%
202047 6,039 0.4744%
202150 5,952 0.4869%

District of Columbia (DC)

Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Charles

If you like Charles, you’ll love these other names like Charles.


What names are diminutives of Charles?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Charles sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Charles, but shorter.

NameMeaningOriginPopularityOther Gender
Cale

Dog

English

Carl

A variant form of Charles.

German

Cary

“He who is manly,” from the Greek kanjon, a kernel or a nut, in allusion to the male testicles.

Welsh

Chad

“The pugnacious one,” from the Welsh cad, battle.

English

Charley

Free man

German

Charlie

Free man

English

Charly

Free man

German

Chas

Free man

German

Chaz

Short form of Charles

German

Chick

Short form of Charles

English, German

Chip

Nickname for Charles, Richard, or Christopher

English

Chuck

To chuck

German

Curley

Strong man

English

Karl

Free man

German


What names are variants of Charles?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Charles.

NameMeaningOriginPopularityOther Gender
Carel

Free man

German

Carlo

Free man

Spanish

Carlos

Free man

Spanish

Carrol

Man; free man

German

Carroll

Man

German

Caryl

Man; free man

German

Charleson

Free man

German

Charlot

Free man

German

Charls

Free man

German

Charlton

Free peasant's settlement

English

Karel

Free man

German

Karol

Free man

German

Karolek

Free man

German

Karolik

Free man

German

Karoly

Free man

German


What names sound like Charles?

If you like how Charles sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Charles.

NameMeaningOriginPopularityOther Gender
Chadwick

Dairy farm of Ceadda

English

Chance

Good fortune

English

Chandler

Candle maker, seller

French

Channing

Young wolf; official of the church

French

Channon

Young wolf; official of the church

French

Charleston

Free peasant's settlement

English

Charlton

Free peasant's settlement

English

Charnell

Burial Place

French

Charsian

Christian Free man

American


What names are similar to Charles?

Find a name that’s like Charles, but just a little bit different.

NameMeaningOriginPopularityOther Gender
Daniel

God is My Judge

Hebrew

David

Beloved

Hebrew

Eric

Everlasting ruler

Scandinavian

Henry

Home ruler

English

John

God is gracious

Hebrew

Louis

Famous warrior

French

Robert

Bright fame

German

Samuel

Name of God

Hebrew

Sebastian

Venerable or honorable

Greek

William

A willing protector

German


Lists With Charles

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Charles.


Siblings of Charles

Mamas with kids named Charles also have kids with these names.

NameMeaningOriginPopularityOther Gender
Henry

Home ruler

English

Does Charles mean warrior?

What does the name Charles mean? Charles means “man” (from Germanic “karal”), “free man” (from Middle Low German “kerle”) and “warrior”, “army” (from Old High German “heri”).

What's a nickname for Charles?

Charles Nicknames: Charlie, Chase, Huck.

What does Charles mean in Greek?

"Charles" in Greek n.} EL. volume_up Κάρολος ο φαλακρός

Where does Charles name come from?

Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form Charles of the Proto-Germanic name ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ (in runic alphabet) or *karilaz (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "free man".