Charla Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SHAR-lah //ˈʃɑːr.lə//
Origin: English; Spanish
Meaning: Free man; strong
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Charla is derived from the name Charles, which has its roots in the Germanic name Karl, meaning 'free man' or 'man.' The name Karl was adopted into Latin as Carolus, which later evolved into various forms across different languages, including the Old French Charles. The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many Norman names were introduced into the English lexicon.
Charla, as a feminine variant, likely emerged in the 20th century, influenced by the trend of creating feminine forms of traditionally masculine names. Historically, the name Charles has been borne by numerous notable figures, including Charlemagne (Charles the Great), who was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 AD, and several kings of France and England.
The name has been associated with nobility and leadership, contributing to its enduring legacy. The feminine form Charla, while less common, reflects a broader cultural practice of feminizing masculine names, which gained traction in the modern era, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Culturally, the name Charla may evoke associations with strength and independence, drawing from its etymological roots linked to freedom. In literature and popular culture, names derived from Charles have often been depicted as embodying qualities of leadership and resilience.
The diminutive form Charlie has also been widely used, further emphasizing the name's adaptability and appeal across different contexts. Overall, Charla represents a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance, rooted in a legacy of strength and nobility.
Famous people named Charla
In this section, you will find notable people named Charla. 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 Charla who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Charla 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.
Charla Nash is a public speaker best known for her advocacy following a life-changing incident involving a chimpanzee attack.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Charla, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Charla. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Charla was first seen in the United States in 1917.
Charla has ranked as high as #900 nationally, which occurred in 1969, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
In the past 5 years the name Charla has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Charla 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 Charla was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Charla (2000)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| IL | 5 |
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 Charla.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2010 | 19 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2007 | 18 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2005 | 24 |
| 2004 | 35 |
| 2003 | 26 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2001 | 21 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 1999 | 18 |
| 1998 | 27 |
| 1997 | 26 |
| 1996 | 33 |
| 1995 | 37 |
| 1994 | 42 |
| 1993 | 49 |
| 1992 | 38 |
| 1991 | 70 |
| 1990 | 74 |
| 1989 | 94 |
| 1988 | 71 |
| 1987 | 77 |
| 1986 | 101 |
| 1985 | 96 |
| 1984 | 107 |
| 1983 | 100 |
| 1982 | 116 |
| 1981 | 124 |
| 1980 | 153 |
| 1979 | 143 |
| 1978 | 143 |
| 1977 | 200 |
| 1976 | 191 |
| 1975 | 132 |
| 1974 | 156 |
| 1973 | 162 |
| 1972 | 168 |
| 1971 | 193 |
| 1970 | 210 |
| 1969 | 219 |
| 1968 | 211 |
| 1967 | 189 |
| 1966 | 202 |
| 1965 | 165 |
| 1964 | 177 |
| 1963 | 186 |
| 1962 | 191 |
| 1961 | 170 |
| 1960 | 159 |
| 1959 | 164 |
| 1958 | 150 |
| 1957 | 165 |
| 1956 | 190 |
| 1955 | 180 |
| 1954 | 145 |
| 1953 | 134 |
| 1952 | 129 |
| 1951 | 141 |
| 1950 | 124 |
| 1949 | 120 |
| 1948 | 100 |
| 1947 | 117 |
| 1946 | 96 |
| 1945 | 122 |
| 1944 | 120 |
| 1943 | 54 |
| 1942 | 61 |
| 1941 | 37 |
| 1940 | 37 |
| 1939 | 39 |
| 1938 | 27 |
| 1937 | 22 |
| 1936 | 24 |
| 1935 | 13 |
| 1934 | 8 |
| 1933 | 14 |
| 1932 | 10 |
| 1931 | 17 |
| 1930 | 10 |
| 1929 | 9 |
| 1928 | 8 |
| 1927 | 8 |
| 1926 | 7 |
| 1925 | 8 |
| 1924 | 7 |
| 1922 | 10 |
| 1921 | 6 |
| 1920 | 6 |
| 1918 | 5 |
| 1917 | 6 |