Baby Name Popularity Profile

Charles

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Charles.

✦ Free man 🌍 German royal traditional
National Rank (2025) #48
All-Time Peak Rank #4 Achieved 1880
Total U.S. Births 2,434,659 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.8% Boy / 0.2% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1940s 40,781 births in 1947
💡 The Charles Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Free man
Language Origin German
Origin Type single
Derived from the Germanic name Karl, meaning 'man' or 'free man'.
Common Nicknames
Charlie Chuck
Alternative Spellings
Karl Carl
Pronunciation: CHAHR-lz
Themes & Categories
royal traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Charles

According to SSA data, Charles achieved its highest historical rank of #4 in 1880. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1947 with 40,781 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 18.1%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Charles across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -18.1% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 40,781 births in 1947
Years in Top 100 146 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Very Stable
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 46,656
1890s: 36,848
1900s: 36,184
1910s: 173,535
1920s: 298,031
1930s: 303,218
1940s: 361,772
1950s: 361,177
1960s: 249,398
1970s: 163,021
1980s: 131,902
1990s: 92,434
2000s: 75,334
2010s: 70,024
2020s: 35,125

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Charles
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with C, a letter used by only 5.7% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Charles.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State West Virginia
Top States West Virginia, Kentucky, District of Columbia, Mississippi, Maryland
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
West Virginia #87 46,002 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #41 69,729 1947 11.3% Decline
District of Columbia #7 17,344 1952 24.4% Decline
Mississippi #27 47,455 1951 23.0% Decline
Maryland #47 54,683 1948 14.9% Decline
Arkansas #40 38,922 1946 +13.5% Growth
Tennessee #27 75,555 1947 +4.9% Growth
Delaware #78 7,136 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #17 62,023 1949 3.0% Decline
South Carolina #26 45,516 1952 +10.6% Growth
Wyoming #64 4,088 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #29 67,298 1924 3.2% Decline
Pennsylvania #50 161,296 1927 20.3% Decline
Virginia #23 67,251 1947 7.2% Decline
Oklahoma #59 39,425 1934 +4.9% Growth
North Carolina #33 82,640 1947 5.6% Decline
Georgia #22 79,249 1947 +5.4% Growth
Louisiana #38 50,873 1951 22.6% Decline
Indiana #45 65,449 1921 +5.5% Growth
Ohio #41 127,472 1949 9.8% Decline
Kansas #30 27,999 1923 +37.5% Growth
Vermont #16 4,320 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Montana #49 7,368 1917 32.3% Decline
Illinois #30 116,862 1950 19.5% Decline
Massachusetts #19 57,286 1947 7.0% Decline
New Jersey #56 63,727 1946 +9.0% Growth
Rhode Island #35 8,318 1949 16.0% Decline
Maine #18 9,761 1947 +25.0% Growth
Michigan #31 80,475 1950 0.5% Decline
New York #41 163,091 1947 +10.8% Growth
Connecticut #25 22,773 1918 2.2% Decline
Iowa #73 27,397 1921 4.3% Decline
South Dakota #51 6,927 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska #12 2,821 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #45 14,838 1921 Stable
New Hampshire #20 6,282 1947 +16.2% Growth
Florida #87 63,090 1959 8.6% Decline
Hawaii #108 5,614 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #40 21,304 1953 6.3% Decline
Minnesota #28 31,684 1950 14.7% Decline
Texas #82 130,993 1953 +3.9% Growth
Idaho #48 6,555 1918 2.5% Decline
North Dakota #67 5,639 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #37 32,556 1949 9.6% Decline
Oregon #53 14,236 1952 19.7% Decline
New Mexico #116 8,316 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #58 24,133 1952 10.5% Decline
California #100 115,306 1957 16.6% Decline
Nevada #124 3,754 1965 34.2% Decline
Arizona #99 13,662 1958 2.3% Decline
Utah #54 8,455 2015 11.1% Decline

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
James John William Robert Vaughn Gearld Merced Jearld Wayne Deane
👧 Sister Suggestions
Jeanne Tommye Sallye Nancye Dyanne Sammye Prince Joyce Marge Dayle

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