Karl

Meaning of Karl

Karl means "free man" or "strong". It comes from an old Germanic word.

Karl has German roots — browse every German baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Karl

After ranking as high as #564 in 2000, Karl has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Karl

• Karl Marx
  Philosopher and economist
• Karl Lagerfeld
  Fashion designer
• Karl Malone
  Basketball player
• Karl Rove
  Political strategist
• Karl Urban
  Actor

More German names

Questions about the name Karl

What does the name Karl mean?

Karl means karl means "free man" or "strong". it comes from an old germanic word, and it comes from German origins.

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

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

How popular is the name Karl?

Karl did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Karl most popular?

Karl peaked at #564 in 2000.