The first name Charles
A boy’s name meaning “free man”.
Pronounced /t͡ʃɑɹlz/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Charles means “free man”.
From French Charles, from Old French Charles, Carles, from Latin Carolus, from and also reinfluenced by Frankish and Old High German Karl, from Proto-Germanic *karilaz (“free man”); compare the English word churl and the German Kerl. In reference to the Ecuadorian island, a clipping of the original name King Charles's Island, granted in honor of Charles II of England.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 437 boys were named Charles, making it the 119th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1998, with 1,868 births (#41).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Charles with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Charles at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 5,898 boys born in the United States were named Charles, the 48th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1947, when 40,781 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Charles in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Charles in French too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Charles
2,293 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Charles DarwinEnglish naturalist and biologist (1809–1882)
- Charles DickensEnglish novelist and social critic (1812–1870)
- Charles de GaulleFrench general and statesman (1890–1970)
- Charles BaudelaireFrench poet and critic (1821–1867)
- Charles BabbageEnglish mathematician, philosopher, and engineer (1791–1871)
- Charles PerraultFrench author (1628-1703)
- Ray CharlesAmerican singer, pianist and songwriter (1930–2004)
- Charles BukowskiGerman-American writer (1920–1994)
- Charles-Augustin de CoulombFrench physicist (1736-1806)
- Charles AznavourArmenian-French singer and diplomat (1924-2018)
- Charles BronsonAmerican actor (1921–2003)
- Charles MansonAmerican criminal and cult leader (1934–2017)
Questions
- What does the name Charles mean?
- Charles means “free man”.
- How popular is the name Charles?
- In 2025, 437 boys born in England and Wales were named Charles, ranking 119th. Its peak was 1998, with 1,868 births.
- What are nicknames for Charles?
- Common nicknames for Charles include Charlie, Chas, Charley, Chic, Chaz, Chazza.
- Is Charles a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 2,447,135 US babies named Charles since 1880 were boys.
- When was Charles most popular?
- 1947 in the United States, when 40,781 babies were named Charles, its highest rank at 9th.
- How do you pronounce Charles?
- Charles is /t͡ʃɑɹlz/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Charles?
- Chuck and Charla.
- Is Charles also a surname?
- Yes. Charles is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.