Charlene is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Charlene means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Charlene across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Charlene has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Charlene is a girl name of Germanic origin meaning “free woman”. a feminine elaboration of Charles.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 134,111 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 730 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,357 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 42 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 1,100 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Charlene per year, United States (1888 to 2025). United States peaked in 1952 (3,557/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1988 (274/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1988 (136/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (78/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (8/yr).
Charlene has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1952, when it ranked #204 nationally (given to 3,557 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Sharlene · Charleen · Charline · Sharleen · Shirlene · Cherylene · Cherylann · Cherlyn
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