Carlo Boy

Popularity: #669 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CAR-lo //ˈkɑːrloʊ//

Origin: Italian; Spanish

Meaning: Italian: free man; Spanish: strong

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Carlo is of Italian origin, derived from the Latin name Carolus, which itself is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "free man." The name Carolus was used in various forms across Europe, including Charles in French and Carlos in Spanish. The transition into English occurred through the Norman Conquest, where the name Charles became prominent, influencing the adoption of its variants, including Carlo, particularly in regions with strong Italian cultural ties.

Historically, the name Carlo has been borne by numerous notable figures, including Carlo Borromeo, a cardinal and saint in the Catholic Church during the 16th century, who played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation. His canonization in 1610 and the subsequent veneration of his feast day on November 4th contributed to the name's prominence in Catholic communities.

Additionally, the name is associated with various rulers and nobility, such as the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who reigned in the 14th century, further solidifying its historical significance. Culturally, the name Carlo resonates within Italian heritage, often symbolizing strength and nobility.

It is frequently associated with artistic and intellectual figures, reflecting the rich cultural history of Italy. The name has also been popularized in literature and the arts, appearing in works by Italian authors and composers.

The diminutive form, Carletto, is often used affectionately, showcasing the name's versatility and enduring appeal in familial and social contexts.

Famous people named Carlo

In this section, you will find notable people named Carlo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carlo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Carlo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Carlo Ancelotti is a football manager and former player best known for coaching AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea.

Carlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist best known for his work in quantum gravity and authoring Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.

Carlo Collodi is an author best known for writing The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Carlo Gambino is a mobster best known for being the boss of the Gambino crime family.

Carlo Maria Giulini is a conductor best known for his work with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Fictional characters named Carlo

The following list of fictional characters named Carlo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Carlo is a fictional character from the novel The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi). He is a key figure in the story, representing the struggles and societal issues of 17th-century Italy.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carlo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MarcoLucaGiovanniMatteoAlessandroFrancesco

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carlo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

CharlesCarlKarloCharlieCarlitoKarolCharley

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Carlo was first seen in the United States in 1894.

Carlo has ranked as high as #1791 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in New York, California, Texas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Carlo has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Carlo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carlo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carlo.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 276 276 0
2024 254 254 0
2023 206 206 0
2022 163 163 0
2021 168 168 0
2020 135 135 0
2019 149 149 0
2018 155 155 0
2017 147 147 0
2016 182 182 0
2015 144 144 0
2014 178 178 0
2013 168 168 0
2012 174 174 0
2011 194 194 0
2010 187 187 0
2009 206 206 0
2008 195 195 0
2007 225 225 0
2006 202 202 0
2005 222 222 0
2004 177 177 0
2003 184 184 0
2002 165 165 0
2001 160 160 0
2000 172 172 0
1999 144 144 0
1998 138 138 0
1997 163 163 0
1996 153 153 0
1995 149 149 0
1994 140 140 0
1993 150 150 0
1992 133 133 0
1991 153 153 0
1990 151 151 0
1989 147 147 0
1988 140 140 0
1987 119 119 0
1986 153 153 0
1985 153 153 0
1984 175 175 0
1983 156 156 0
1982 159 159 0
1981 172 172 0
1980 176 170 6
1979 175 175 0
1978 194 189 5
1977 198 198 0
1976 205 205 0
1975 182 177 5
1974 236 231 5
1973 215 208 7
1972 214 205 9
1971 211 205 6
1970 185 172 13
1969 166 159 7
1968 125 125 0
1967 129 124 5
1966 116 116 0
1965 129 123 6
1964 116 116 0
1963 121 121 0
1962 140 134 6
1961 114 114 0
1960 127 127 0
1959 115 115 0
1958 97 97 0
1957 73 73 0
1956 87 87 0
1955 86 86 0
1954 84 84 0
1953 94 94 0
1952 82 82 0
1951 87 87 0
1950 72 72 0
1949 94 94 0
1948 82 82 0
1947 74 74 0
1946 51 51 0
1945 50 50 0
1944 74 74 0
1943 70 70 0
1942 76 76 0
1941 81 81 0
1940 59 59 0
1939 72 72 0
1938 82 82 0
1937 87 87 0
1936 76 76 0
1935 93 93 0
1934 86 86 0
1933 118 118 0
1932 84 84 0
1931 125 125 0
1930 132 132 0
1929 128 128 0
1928 145 145 0
1927 149 149 0
1926 139 139 0
1925 120 120 0
1924 150 150 0
1923 167 167 0
1922 152 152 0
1921 120 120 0
1920 143 143 0
1919 122 122 0
1918 124 124 0
1917 125 125 0
1916 127 127 0
1915 112 112 0
1914 105 105 0
1913 59 59 0
1912 47 47 0
1911 28 28 0
1910 16 16 0
1909 14 14 0
1908 14 14 0
1907 6 6 0
1905 8 8 0
1904 6 6 0
1902 5 5 0
1901 5 5 0
1900 6 6 0
1894 5 5 0

Top States for Carlo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 54
27%
TX 37
18%
FL 19
9%
NJ 19
9%
NY 17
8%
PA 12
6%
IL 11
5%
AZ 7
3%
WA 6
3%
CT 5
2%
CO 5
2%
MA 5
2%
MI 5
2%