Carlo
How to say it: KAR-loh · /ˈkɑrloʊ/
Italian form of Charles; from Germanic 'karl', meaning 'free man'.
Carlo was the 802nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 276 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are up about 89% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #597 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 | #802 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 276 |
| Share of births | 1 in 12,012 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | +89% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #597 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
High point came back in the 1920s for Carlo, yet it never dropped away. Close to that historic level now, it should move upward again.
What goes with it
Round and clear in two syllables, Carlo feels warm and easy across borders. Marco makes a fitting counterpart.
Nicknames
- Car
- Lolo
Honouring a Carlo in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Carlo is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Carlo
- Carlo Ancelotti (born 1959)Italian football player and manager
- Carlo Rubbia (born 1934)Italian particle physicist
- Carlo Goldoni (1707–1793)Italian playwright
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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