Charles

Meaning of Charles

The name Charles means 'free man' or simply 'man'. It reflects a person of independent spirit.

Charles has Germanic roots — browse every Germanic baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Charles

Charles has held fairly steady, sitting around #48 in 2025 after peaking at #46 in 2020.

Notable people named Charles

• King Charles III
  Current King of the United Kingdom
• Charles Darwin
  Naturalist, theory of evolution
• Charles Dickens
  Victorian novelist, wrote classics
• Ray Charles
  Iconic blind soul musician
• Charlie Chaplin
  Legendary silent film comedian

More Germanic names

Questions about the name Charles

What does the name Charles mean?

Charles means the name charles means 'free man' or simply 'man'. it reflects a person of independent spirit, and it comes from Germanic origins.

Is Charles a boy's or a girl's name?

Charles is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Charles?

In 2025, Charles ranked #48 for boys, up from #51 the year before.

When was Charles most popular?

Charles peaked at #46 in 2020.