Charles
Pronounced CH AA1 R AH0 L Z (ARPABET)
- 2 syllables
- Peaked 1947
- 145 years in use
- 1 spelling
How popular is Charles?
Charles is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 2,442,009 children — the 9th most common boys' name on record.
Its use has been broadly flat across the past two decades. Its best single year was 1947, when 40,792 children were given it.
Charls is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.
Spelling variants
These spellings sound identical to Charles and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.
- Charls
Nicknames
Characteristics
- 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
- Pronunciations:
- CH AA1 R AH0 L Z · CH AA1 R L Z
- Stress pattern:
- 10 · 1
- Syllables:
- 2
Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.
Names like Charles
Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.
Sibling names for Charles
Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.
Frequently asked questions
- How popular is the name Charles?
- Charles ranks 9th among boys' names in US records, with 2,442,009 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 63,790.
- Is Charles a unisex name?
- No. Charles is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
- When was Charles most popular?
- 1947, when 40,792 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
- What are common nicknames for Charles?
- Chuck, Charlie. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
- How else is Charles spelled?
- Charls. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.