Charles is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Charles means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Charles across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Charles has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Charles is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “free man”. from Karl; associated with many European monarchs.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 2,447,135 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 32,889 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3,621 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 591 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,682 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 4,200 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 Charles per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (40,919/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1998 (1,868/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (145/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1979 (135/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2000 (38/yr).
Charles has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #13 nationally (given to 40,919 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
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