Name
Charles
Meaning
Charles is a masculine name of Germanic origin meaning “free man”.
Charles descends from the Germanic karl, a free man, the common freeman of early medieval society, and Charlemagne, Charles the Great, made it the most royal name in Europe. Kings of France, Spain, and Britain have answered to it for twelve centuries, while Charlie keeps it in sneakers.
Has never left the US boys' top 75 since records began.
Popularity in the United States
Boys
Ranked #48 in 2025 · peak #29 in 1980
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Masculine
- Pronounced
- /CHARLZ/
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Questions
Charles is a masculine name of Germanic origin meaning “free man”. Charles descends from the Germanic karl, a free man, the common freeman of early medieval society, and Charlemagne, Charles the Great, made it the most royal name in Europe.
Charles is traditionally a masculine (boy) name. Has never left the US boys' top 75 since records began.
The name Charles comes from Germanic. Charles descends from the Germanic karl, a free man, the common freeman of early medieval society, and Charlemagne, Charles the Great, made it the most royal name in Europe. Kings of France, Spain, and Britain have answered to it for twelve centuries, while Charlie keeps it in sneakers.
Charles is pronounced CHARLZ.
More names that mean freedom
Names that share this meaning.