Charleston Unisex

Popularity: #897 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CHARL-stən /ˈtʃɑːrlstən/

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: town of Charles; French: free man

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Charleston is of English origin, derived from the combination of the Old English elements "ceorl," meaning "man" or "freeman," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." The name can be traced back to the medieval period, where it likely referred to a settlement established by or for free men. The name entered the English lexicon as a place name before being adopted as a personal name, reflecting the common practice of naming individuals after their geographic origins or notable locations.

Historically, Charleston is most notably associated with the city of Charleston, South Carolina, founded in the late 17th century. The city was named in honor of King Charles II of England, and it became a significant cultural and economic center in the American South.

The name Charleston has been borne by various notable figures throughout history, including politicians and military leaders, particularly during the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War, which further solidified its historical significance. Culturally, the name Charleston evokes a sense of Southern heritage and tradition, often associated with the rich history of the American South, including its architecture, cuisine, and music.

The name also resonates with the Charleston dance, which became popular in the 1920s, symbolizing a lively and spirited cultural expression. While diminutive forms like Charlie exist, the name Charleston itself carries a weight of historical and cultural significance, representing both a geographic identity and a connection to the past.

Famous people named Charleston

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

We also feature individuals named Charleston 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.

Charleston Heston is an actor and political activist best known for Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, and Planet of the Apes.

Charleston Hughes is a professional football player best known for his time with the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Sibling suggestions

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

CharlotteChaseCarterCameronColtonCaleb

Similar names

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

CarterCharlesChandlerCyrusCohenCadenChaseColin

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Charleston was first seen in the United States in 1914.

Charleston has ranked as high as #1523 nationally, which occurred in 2015, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Charleston 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 Charleston 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 Charleston.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 89 41 48
2024 92 46 46
2023 75 29 46
2022 108 44 64
2021 122 54 68
2020 122 58 64
2019 158 70 88
2018 152 58 94
2017 157 58 99
2016 221 65 156
2015 343 88 255
2014 112 71 41
2013 74 51 23
2012 76 50 26
2011 71 51 20
2010 66 47 19
2009 72 53 19
2008 38 27 11
2007 61 38 23
2006 61 42 19
2005 42 34 8
2004 43 32 11
2003 44 35 9
2002 32 22 10
2001 48 37 11
2000 35 30 5
1999 40 34 6
1998 45 36 9
1997 59 52 7
1996 31 31 0
1995 31 31 0
1994 26 26 0
1993 39 39 0
1992 40 40 0
1991 39 39 0
1990 46 46 0
1989 44 44 0
1988 45 45 0
1987 38 38 0
1986 30 30 0
1985 33 33 0
1984 38 38 0
1983 25 25 0
1982 29 29 0
1981 31 31 0
1980 23 23 0
1979 27 27 0
1978 25 25 0
1977 26 26 0
1976 17 17 0
1975 20 20 0
1974 27 27 0
1973 22 22 0
1972 13 13 0
1971 13 13 0
1970 12 12 0
1969 14 14 0
1968 12 12 0
1967 14 14 0
1966 14 14 0
1965 13 13 0
1964 11 11 0
1963 18 18 0
1962 6 6 0
1961 12 12 0
1960 11 11 0
1959 14 14 0
1958 10 10 0
1957 10 10 0
1956 10 10 0
1955 16 16 0
1954 10 10 0
1953 10 10 0
1951 11 11 0
1950 8 8 0
1949 8 8 0
1946 6 6 0
1943 6 6 0
1941 5 5 0
1940 7 7 0
1937 6 6 0
1935 6 6 0
1933 6 6 0
1932 5 5 0
1928 7 7 0
1927 6 6 0
1925 8 8 0
1924 12 12 0
1923 7 7 0
1922 6 6 0
1921 9 9 0
1920 9 9 0
1919 6 6 0
1918 6 6 0
1917 5 5 0
1914 5 5 0

Top States for Charleston (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
NC 9
36%
SC 6
24%
GA 5
20%
FL 5
20%