Charles
Meaningfree man · Germanic
- US rank
- #48
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #4 in 1883
5,898 babies were named Charles in the US in 2025. It has dropped 2 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Charles you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Charles
Charles Darwin
English naturalist and biologist (1809–1882)
Choose Charles and your child shares a first name with Charles Darwin, an English naturalist and biologist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Charles, like who?” Charles Darwin's Wikipedia article is available in 279 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Charles Darwin on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Herbert Rose Barraud, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 290 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Charles, 5,898 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Charles.
- HistoryCharles has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Charless, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1883, when it ranked #4. Today it's #48, so it could be due a comeback.
- Where it's lovedCharles is most popular in Washington, D.C., where it ranks #7, followed by Alaska (#11) and Vermont (#16). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Germanic, Charles means “free man”. Our records link it to English and French roots.
- OriginCharles is the #7 most popular French boy name in the US. That's out of 1,896 French boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Charles
Charles is a boy name of English and French origin meaning “free man”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-les”. US birth records list Charles for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1883, when it ranked #4 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #48, with 5,898 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 42,658 | 23 boys |
| 1890s | 32,344 | 31 boys |
| 1900s | 26,764 | 37 boys |
| 1910s | 25,808 | 39 boys |
| 1920s | 27,043 | 37 boys |
| 1930s | 28,706 | 35 boys |
| 1940s | 24,562 | 41 boys |
| 1950s | 17,996 | 56 boys |
| 1960s | 12,902 | 78 boys |
| 1970s | 9,831 | 102 boys |
| 1980s | 7,167 | 140 boys |
| 1990s | 4,728 | 212 boys |
| 2000s | 3,775 | 265 boys |
| 2010s | 3,723 | 269 boys |
| 2020s | 3,389 | 295 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Charles
What does the name Charles mean?
Charles means “free man” in Germanic.
What is the origin of the name Charles?
Charles has English, French roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Charles a boy or girl name?
Charles is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Charles?
Charles ranked #48 for US boys in 2025, given to 5,898 babies. Its best year was 1883 (#4).