Mostly boys
Benjamin
Hebrew
“son of the right hand”
Mostly boys · French from German
Charles
“free man”
Say it CHARLZPronunciation may vary by region.
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A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Charles.
Charles comes through French from the Germanic name Karl and is associated with the meanings man or free man. Its history includes Charlemagne and a long line of royal namesakes in Europe.
The one-syllable English form is shorter in speech than its spelling might suggest. Parents choosing it as an honor name can keep the formal Charles or consider a familiar shorter form for everyday use.
A little perspective
How popular is Charles?
Girls · 2025#9,58310 recorded births
Boys · 2025#485,898 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 48 | 5,898 |
| 2025 | Girls | 9,583 | 10 |
| 2024 | Boys | 51 | 5,613 |
| 2024 | Girls | 11,336 | 8 |
| 2023 | Boys | 54 | 5,421 |
| 2023 | Girls | 10,490 | 9 |
| 2022 | Boys | 50 | 5,934 |
| 2022 | Girls | 10,565 | 9 |
| 2021 | Boys | 50 | 6,010 |
| 2021 | Girls | 15,739 | 5 |
| 2020 | Boys | 46 | 6,249 |
| 2020 | Girls | 8,068 | 13 |
| 2019 | Boys | 52 | 6,406 |
| 2019 | Girls | 10,652 | 9 |
| 2018 | Boys | 53 | 6,667 |
| 2018 | Girls | 8,247 | 13 |
| 2017 | Boys | 48 | 7,193 |
| 2017 | Girls | 8,913 | 12 |
| 2016 | Boys | 52 | 7,127 |
| 2016 | Girls | 6,972 | 17 |
| 2015 | Boys | 50 | 7,204 |
| 2015 | Girls | 11,084 | 9 |
| 2014 | Boys | 51 | 7,362 |
| 2014 | Girls | 7,747 | 15 |
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
CharlieChuck
Variations & related forms
KarlCarlosCarlo
Keep the possibilities coming
If you love Charles…
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