Charlena Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: shar-LEE-nah //ʃɑːrˈliːnə//
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: free man; Latin: strong
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Charlena is a modern feminine variant of 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 influenced the Old French form Charles. The name made its way into English through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, becoming widely used in various forms, including Charles and Charlotte, the latter being the feminine counterpart that has historically been more common.
Charlena likely emerged in the 20th century as a blend of Charlotte and the suffix -ena, which is often used in feminine names, reflecting a trend of creating unique variations of established 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 is a significant figure in European history.
The name has also been associated with various kings of France and England, contributing to its prominence across different cultures. The feminine form Charlotte gained popularity through figures such as Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of Great Britain, in the 18th century, further solidifying the name's royal connotations.
The name Charlena, while not as widely recognized as its root names, carries with it the historical weight of freedom and nobility associated with Charles and Charlotte. In various cultures, names derived from Charles have been linked to strength and leadership, making them enduring choices for many families.
The diminutive form Charlie has also been popularized, showcasing the adaptability and affection associated with the name's lineage. Overall, Charlena reflects a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance, embodying the qualities of its predecessors.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Charlena, 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 Charlena. 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 Charlena was first seen in the United States in 1903.
Charlena has ranked as high as #3264 nationally, which occurred in 1978, and has been most popular in California, South Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Charlena has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Charlena 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 Charlena 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 Charlena.
| Year | Total Births | Girl |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 6 | 6 |
| 2014 | 7 | 7 |
| 2013 | 5 | 5 |
| 2012 | 7 | 7 |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 |
| 2007 | 10 | 10 |
| 2006 | 8 | 8 |
| 2005 | 8 | 8 |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 |
| 2001 | 9 | 9 |
| 2000 | 10 | 10 |
| 1999 | 15 | 15 |
| 1998 | 12 | 12 |
| 1997 | 9 | 9 |
| 1996 | 12 | 12 |
| 1995 | 11 | 11 |
| 1994 | 13 | 13 |
| 1993 | 15 | 15 |
| 1992 | 18 | 18 |
| 1991 | 22 | 22 |
| 1990 | 19 | 19 |
| 1989 | 42 | 42 |
| 1988 | 41 | 41 |
| 1987 | 27 | 27 |
| 1986 | 31 | 31 |
| 1985 | 24 | 24 |
| 1984 | 37 | 37 |
| 1983 | 32 | 32 |
| 1982 | 36 | 36 |
| 1981 | 27 | 27 |
| 1980 | 25 | 25 |
| 1979 | 29 | 29 |
| 1978 | 46 | 46 |
| 1977 | 43 | 43 |
| 1976 | 24 | 24 |
| 1975 | 23 | 23 |
| 1974 | 27 | 27 |
| 1973 | 26 | 26 |
| 1972 | 23 | 23 |
| 1971 | 37 | 37 |
| 1970 | 32 | 32 |
| 1969 | 28 | 28 |
| 1968 | 32 | 32 |
| 1967 | 21 | 21 |
| 1966 | 29 | 29 |
| 1965 | 33 | 33 |
| 1964 | 29 | 29 |
| 1963 | 35 | 35 |
| 1962 | 28 | 28 |
| 1961 | 31 | 31 |
| 1960 | 19 | 19 |
| 1959 | 17 | 17 |
| 1958 | 26 | 26 |
| 1957 | 12 | 12 |
| 1956 | 24 | 24 |
| 1955 | 20 | 20 |
| 1954 | 16 | 16 |
| 1953 | 12 | 12 |
| 1952 | 18 | 18 |
| 1951 | 17 | 17 |
| 1950 | 20 | 20 |
| 1949 | 20 | 20 |
| 1948 | 18 | 18 |
| 1947 | 25 | 25 |
| 1946 | 17 | 17 |
| 1945 | 21 | 21 |
| 1944 | 20 | 20 |
| 1943 | 19 | 19 |
| 1942 | 16 | 16 |
| 1941 | 17 | 17 |
| 1940 | 8 | 8 |
| 1939 | 8 | 8 |
| 1938 | 16 | 16 |
| 1937 | 10 | 10 |
| 1936 | 12 | 12 |
| 1935 | 13 | 13 |
| 1934 | 13 | 13 |
| 1933 | 10 | 10 |
| 1932 | 12 | 12 |
| 1931 | 10 | 10 |
| 1930 | 10 | 10 |
| 1929 | 9 | 9 |
| 1928 | 10 | 10 |
| 1927 | 8 | 8 |
| 1926 | 16 | 16 |
| 1925 | 14 | 14 |
| 1924 | 14 | 14 |
| 1923 | 12 | 12 |
| 1922 | 14 | 14 |
| 1921 | 8 | 8 |
| 1920 | 10 | 10 |
| 1919 | 12 | 12 |
| 1918 | 9 | 9 |
| 1917 | 10 | 10 |
| 1916 | 9 | 9 |
| 1915 | 10 | 10 |
| 1914 | 10 | 10 |
| 1909 | 5 | 5 |
| 1903 | 6 | 6 |
Top States for Charlena (1989)
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 | 6 |