Carl
How to say it: KARL · /ˈkɑrl/
Germanic form of Charles, from 'karl' meaning 'free man'. Classic given name across many European languages.
Carl was the 775th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 187 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1900s, its births are down about 54% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #960 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #775 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 187 |
| Share of births | 1 in 11,276 |
| Peak decade | 1900s |
| Change over 10 years | −54% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #960 |
| In France, 2025 | #381 among boys’ names, 55 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
High in the 1900s, Carl has thinned to far below that early standing. More slipping is expected.
What goes with it
Solid and crisp with a strong calm, Carl lands in a single beat. Walter matches it in feel.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Carl is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #381 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Carl
- Carl von Linné (1707–1778)Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist (1707–1778); developed the foundations of modern taxonomy
- Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855)German mathematician and physicist
- Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (born 1946)King of Sweden since 1973
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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