Charles Boy

Popularity: #50 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CHAR-lz //tʃɑrlz//

Origin: French; Germanic

Meaning: French: free man; Germanic: strong, manly

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Charles has its roots in the Germanic name Karl, which is derived from the Old High German word "karal," meaning "man" or "free man." This name was adopted into Latin as "Carolus," which became the basis for the name in various languages, including French, where it evolved into "Charles." The name entered the English language through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, becoming widely used in England thereafter. Historically, the name Charles has been borne by numerous significant figures, including Charlemagne (Charles the Great), who was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 AD and played a crucial role in the Carolingian Renaissance.

The name also appears in the English royal lineage, notably with Charles I, who reigned from 1625 to 1649 and was executed during the English Civil War, and Charles II, who restored the monarchy in 1660 after a period of republican rule. Additionally, the name is associated with various saints, including Saint Charles Borromeo, a prominent figure in the Counter-Reformation during the 16th century.

Culturally, the name Charles has been linked to notions of nobility and leadership, often symbolizing strength and authority. It has been a popular choice among European royalty and nobility, reinforcing its status as a name of significance.

The diminutive form "Charlie" has also emerged, reflecting a more familiar and affectionate usage, although its historical prominence is less pronounced. Overall, the name Charles carries a rich heritage, embodying both historical weight and cultural resonance across various societies.

Famous people named Charles

In this section, you will find notable people named Charles. 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 Charles who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Charles 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.

Charles Dickens is a novelist best known for A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Oliver Twist.

Charles Darwin is a naturalist best known for his contributions to the theory of evolution and the book On the Origin of Species.

Charles Chaplin is an actor and filmmaker best known for The Kid, City Lights, and Modern Times.

Charles Bronson is an actor best known for The Magnificent Seven, Death Wish, and The Great Escape.

Charles Schulz is a cartoonist best known for creating the Peanuts comic strip.

Charles Lindbergh is an aviator best known for making the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight.

Charles Babbage is a mathematician and inventor best known for conceptualizing the first mechanical computer, the Analytical Engine.

Charles Aznavour is a singer and songwriter best known for La Bohème, Comme ils disent, and For Mama.

Charles Ives is a composer best known for his innovative works such as Symphony No. 2 and The Unanswered Question.

Charles Mingus is a jazz musician and composer best known for his works like Mingus Ah Um and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady.

Charles R. Drew is a physician and medical researcher best known for his work on blood transfusions and blood banks.

Charles Durning is an actor best known for his roles in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Dog Day Afternoon, and To Be or Not to Be.

Charles Trenet is a singer and songwriter best known for his songs Douce France and La Mer.

Charles S. Dutton is an actor and director best known for his roles in Roc, Alien 3, and The Piano Lesson.

Charles Nelson Reilly is an actor and comedian best known for his work on The Match Game and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

Fictional characters named Charles

The following list of fictional characters named Charles 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.

Charles Xavier is a fictional character from the comic book series X-Men. He is the founder of the X-Men and a powerful telepath who advocates for peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants.

Charles Dickens is a fictional character from the novel A Christmas Carol. He is a famous author who appears as a character in various adaptations of his own works, often embodying themes of redemption and social justice.

Charles Lee Ray is a fictional character from the Child's Play film series. He is a serial killer who transfers his soul into a doll, becoming the infamous Chucky.

Sibling suggestions

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

WilliamJamesHenryEdwardGeorgeThomasRichard

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Charles. 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.

CarlCharlieChadCharlesonCharltonCyrusChesterCameron

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Charles was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Charles has ranked as high as #13 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and California.

In the past 5 years the name Charles has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Charles 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 Charles was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Charles (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
TX 415
8%
CA 406
8%
NY 300
6%
FL 239
5%
NC 235
4%
IL 235
4%
OH 226
4%
MA 224
4%
GA 223
4%
PA 210
4%
VA 184
3%
TN 180
3%
MI 172
3%
MO 147
3%
WA 131
2%

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 Charles.

YearBirths
20245,593
20235,415
20225,934
20216,003
20206,243
20196,403
20186,663
20177,189
20167,125
20157,204
20147,360
20137,025
20126,945
20116,985
20107,105
20097,284
20087,288
20077,452
20068,013
20057,932
20047,652
20037,695
20027,208
20017,283
20007,524
19997,525
19987,848
19977,656
19968,247
19958,478
19949,018
19939,856
199210,470
199111,336
199011,999
198912,245
198812,108
198712,176
198612,625
198512,899
198412,942
198313,213
198214,311
198114,428
198014,958
197914,807
197814,845
197714,743
197613,923
197514,578
197415,151
197315,751
197216,969
197119,851
197022,412
196921,664
196821,569
196721,290
196622,251
196523,500
196425,903
196326,762
196227,588
196129,196
196029,665
195930,796
195832,243
195734,282
195635,239
195535,361
195437,467
195338,420
195238,865
195139,408
195039,097
194940,047
194838,678
194740,779
194638,212
194532,467
194434,663
194336,630
194235,855
194132,739
194031,690
193930,786
193831,152
193730,521
193629,100
193529,982
193429,791
193328,990
193231,093
193129,933
193031,867
192929,929
192831,244
192731,941
192629,521
192529,580
192430,460
192328,966
192228,839
192129,242
192028,309
191925,192
191826,921
191724,143
191623,612
191521,960
191416,937
191313,190
191211,070
19115,725
19104,784
19094,029
19083,929
19073,884
19063,607
19053,608
19043,406
19033,213
19023,361
19013,049
19004,098
18993,147
18983,557
18973,341
18963,639
18953,633
18943,788
18933,723
18924,319
18913,640
18904,061
18894,199
18884,591
18874,031
18864,533
18854,599
18844,802
18834,826
18825,091
18814,636
18805,348