Mostly girls
Amelia
German
“work”
Mostly boys · German variation of Charles
Carl
“free man”
Say it KARLPronunciation may vary by region.
See your shortlist ↗
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Carl.
This no-nonsense German variation of Charles is strong and sturdy. A top choice throughout the 20th century, Carl is now verging on falling off the charts.
Carl is also given to girls.
4 lettersGerman origins ↗
A little perspective
How popular is Carl?
Boys · 2025#1,134187 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 1,134 | 187 |
| 2024 | Boys | 1,032 | 216 |
| 2023 | Boys | 964 | 233 |
| 2022 | Boys | 1,013 | 220 |
| 2021 | Boys | 922 | 246 |
| 2020 | Boys | 813 | 286 |
| 2019 | Boys | 748 | 319 |
| 2018 | Boys | 701 | 345 |
| 2017 | Boys | 628 | 415 |
| 2016 | Boys | 605 | 445 |
| 2015 | Boys | 600 | 457 |
| 2014 | Boys | 613 | 436 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
A few ways to make it theirs.
Nicknames
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
Variations & related forms
CarlinoCaroluCaroloKarelKarolekKalmanKarolCarlosKarlinCathalCarelKari
Keep the possibilities coming
If you love Carl…
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