Charles
How to say it: CHARLZ · /ˈtʃɑrlz/
From Old High German 'Karl', meaning 'free man'. Latinized as 'Carolus', spread by Charlemagne across Europe.
Charles was the 58th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 5,898 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 18% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #71 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 | #58 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 5,898 |
| Share of births | 1 in 562 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −18% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #71 |
| In France, 2025 | #59 among boys’ names, 1,040 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Rooted far above current use with a high in the 1880s, Charles has grown rarer over time. Still more decline is in store.
What goes with it
Breathy and resonant, Charles feels strong with literary and royal associations. Henry matches in spirit and style.
Middle names that flow with Charles →
Nicknames
- Charlie
- Chuck
- Chas
- Carl
Honouring a Charles in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Charles is about 1 in 24.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German, Welsh.
In France: #59 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #119. Ireland: #189.
Famous people named Charles
- Charles Darwin (1809–1882)English naturalist and biologist
- Charles III (born 1948)King of the United Kingdom since 2022
- Charles Dickens (1812–1870)English novelist and social critic
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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