Charles
Meaning of Charles
The name Charles is a classic male name of Germanic origin, derived from the name Karl, meaning "free man" or "warrior". It came into widespread use due to the fame of Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne. In English, the pronunciation for Charles is CHARLZ (/tʃɑːrlz/). The name has several popular variations such as Charlie and Chuck.
Over the past century, Charles has remained an enduring choice for parents in the United States. While it peaked in popularity during the 1940s and 1950s, reaching as high as rank 6 in multiple years during that period, it has consistently maintained a position among the top 75 names each year since 1928. This illustrates its long-standing appeal among parents seeking a traditional yet versatile name for their sons.
Famous people named Charles include British royal family members like Prince Charles and renowned authors such as Charles Dickens. Its timeless charm and strong historical roots make it a distinguished choice for any baby boy.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as CHARLZ (/tʃɑːlz/)
American English
- Pronunced as CHARLZ (/tʃɑrlz/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Charles
| Charles Lindbergh was an American aviator who made the first solo nonstop flight from New York City to Paris in 1927, a historic achievement that revolutionized air transportation. |
| Charles de Gaulle was a French army officer and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II and later became the founding President of the Fifth Republic of France. |
| Charles Dickens - Charles John Huffam Dickens was a renowned English novelist and social critic, celebrated for creating iconic fictional characters and considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era. |
| Charles Robert Darwin was an influential English naturalist and biologist known for his groundbreaking contributions to evolutionary biology, including the concept of natural selection. |
| Charles Wade Barkley, also known as "Sir Charles", is a former NBA player and TV analyst known for his strength, aggressiveness, and versatility on the court. |
| Charles Babbage was an English polymath known for originating the concept of a digital programmable computer. |
| Charles Krauthammer was an American political columnist, known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning columns in The Washington Post and his transition from a liberal to an independent conservative political pundit. |
| Charles Aznavour, a French singer of Armenian descent, was a prolific and influential musician, actor, and diplomat known for his distinctive voice and extensive body of work in multiple languages. |
| Henry Charles Bukowski was a German-American poet, novelist, and short story writer known for his work addressing the ordinary lives of poor Americans, alcohol, relationships with women, and the drudgery of work, with an FBI file kept on him due to his controversial column. |
| Charles Pierre Baudelaire was a versatile French poet known for his mastery of rhyme and rhythm, as well as his observations of real life in his poems. |
| Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, was a Scottish geologist known for his influential work on the earth's history and his association with Charles Darwin. |
| Charles Kingsford Smith - Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith, also known as Smithy, was an Australian aviation pioneer who achieved the first transpacific flight and the first flight between Australia and New Zealand. |
| Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer known for his experimental music and is regarded as the leading American composer of art music of the 20th century. |
| Charles Mingus Jr. was a highly influential American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative work in collective improvisation and collaborations with other jazz legends. |
| Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick - Charles William Ferdinand, also known as the Duke of Brunswick, was a prominent military leader and prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. |
