Charlene Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: shar-LEEN /ʃɑːrˈliːn/
Origin: French; English
Meaning: French: free man; English: diminutive of Charles
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Charlene is derived from the masculine name Charles, which has its roots in the Germanic name Karl, meaning "free man" or "man." The name Karl was introduced to England by the Normans in the form of Charles, which became popular in the Middle Ages. The feminine form Charlene emerged in the 19th century as a diminutive or variation of Charles, combining the suffix "-ene" to create a distinctly feminine version.
This transformation reflects a common linguistic practice of adapting male names into female forms by adding feminine suffixes, a trend observed in various cultures and languages. Historically, the name Charles has been borne by numerous significant figures, including Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and Lombards in the late 8th and early 9th centuries, who was a pivotal figure in European history and the Carolingian Renaissance.
The name has also been associated with various saints and monarchs throughout the centuries, contributing to its enduring legacy. The feminine form Charlene gained traction in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, influenced by the popularity of the name Charles and its variants.
Culturally, Charlene has been embraced in literature and media, often symbolizing grace and strength, which are qualities associated with its root name Charles. The name has been used in various artistic works and has appeared in popular culture, further solidifying its place in the lexicon of names.
The diminutive form Charlie is also noteworthy, as it has been used affectionately across different contexts, reflecting the name's versatility and appeal. Overall, Charlene carries with it a rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in the legacy of its masculine counterpart.
Famous people named Charlene
In this section, you will find notable people named Charlene. 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 Charlene who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Charlene 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.
Charlene Tilton is an actress best known for Dallas, The Love Boat, and The Golden Girls.
Charlene Choi is a singer and actress best known for her work with the duo Twins, and films like The Twins Effect and The Sorcerer and the White Snake.
Charlene Soraia is a singer-songwriter best known for her song Wherever You Will Go, and her album Love Is the Law.
Fictional characters named Charlene
The following list of fictional characters named Charlene 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.
Charlene is a fictional character from the animated television series The Magic School Bus. She is a student in Ms. Frizzle's class who often participates in the adventurous field trips.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Charlene, 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 Charlene. 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 Charlene was first seen in the United States in 1888.
Charlene has ranked as high as #202 nationally, which occurred in 1952, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Charlene has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Charlene 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 Charlene was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Charlene (2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 20 | |
| TX | 13 | |
| OH | 8 | |
| GA | 6 | |
| FL | 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 Charlene.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 115 |
| 2023 | 102 |
| 2022 | 111 |
| 2021 | 114 |
| 2020 | 119 |
| 2019 | 111 |
| 2018 | 112 |
| 2017 | 153 |
| 2016 | 147 |
| 2015 | 146 |
| 2014 | 159 |
| 2013 | 116 |
| 2012 | 134 |
| 2011 | 134 |
| 2010 | 136 |
| 2009 | 142 |
| 2008 | 153 |
| 2007 | 182 |
| 2006 | 190 |
| 2005 | 178 |
| 2004 | 202 |
| 2003 | 165 |
| 2002 | 170 |
| 2001 | 168 |
| 2000 | 191 |
| 1999 | 208 |
| 1998 | 252 |
| 1997 | 307 |
| 1996 | 291 |
| 1995 | 310 |
| 1994 | 406 |
| 1993 | 427 |
| 1992 | 473 |
| 1991 | 531 |
| 1990 | 659 |
| 1989 | 710 |
| 1988 | 707 |
| 1987 | 804 |
| 1986 | 785 |
| 1985 | 902 |
| 1984 | 936 |
| 1983 | 961 |
| 1982 | 1,060 |
| 1981 | 1,003 |
| 1980 | 1,070 |
| 1979 | 934 |
| 1978 | 937 |
| 1977 | 1,068 |
| 1976 | 1,080 |
| 1975 | 1,074 |
| 1974 | 1,070 |
| 1973 | 1,206 |
| 1972 | 1,462 |
| 1971 | 1,733 |
| 1970 | 1,983 |
| 1969 | 1,997 |
| 1968 | 1,947 |
| 1967 | 2,077 |
| 1966 | 2,187 |
| 1965 | 2,590 |
| 1964 | 2,807 |
| 1963 | 2,728 |
| 1962 | 2,564 |
| 1961 | 2,832 |
| 1960 | 2,894 |
| 1959 | 2,745 |
| 1958 | 3,066 |
| 1957 | 3,150 |
| 1956 | 3,275 |
| 1955 | 3,301 |
| 1954 | 3,242 |
| 1953 | 3,504 |
| 1952 | 3,546 |
| 1951 | 3,441 |
| 1950 | 3,448 |
| 1949 | 3,541 |
| 1948 | 3,487 |
| 1947 | 3,477 |
| 1946 | 3,037 |
| 1945 | 2,388 |
| 1944 | 2,433 |
| 1943 | 2,354 |
| 1942 | 2,319 |
| 1941 | 2,060 |
| 1940 | 1,686 |
| 1939 | 1,705 |
| 1938 | 1,673 |
| 1937 | 1,580 |
| 1936 | 1,482 |
| 1935 | 1,395 |
| 1934 | 1,344 |
| 1933 | 1,174 |
| 1932 | 1,123 |
| 1931 | 1,008 |
| 1930 | 987 |
| 1929 | 932 |
| 1928 | 854 |
| 1927 | 833 |
| 1926 | 581 |
| 1925 | 587 |
| 1924 | 449 |
| 1923 | 390 |
| 1922 | 332 |
| 1921 | 318 |
| 1920 | 294 |
| 1919 | 233 |
| 1918 | 248 |
| 1917 | 203 |
| 1916 | 169 |
| 1915 | 133 |
| 1914 | 89 |
| 1913 | 75 |
| 1912 | 61 |
| 1911 | 40 |
| 1910 | 31 |
| 1909 | 28 |
| 1908 | 29 |
| 1907 | 19 |
| 1906 | 11 |
| 1905 | 13 |
| 1904 | 13 |
| 1903 | 6 |
| 1902 | 8 |
| 1901 | 6 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1898 | 12 |
| 1896 | 9 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1892 | 6 |
| 1888 | 5 |