Unisex nameCurrently #140 in the USRising
Charlie
CHAR-lee//ˈtʃɑːrli//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20227 lettersStarts with C
Meaning & origin
Free man (dim. of Charles/Charlotte)
Charlie began as a nickname for Charles or, more recently, Charlotte, sharing the Germanic root meaning 'free man'. Its cheerful, approachable sound has made it hugely popular as a complete name in its own right for both boys and girls, especially in the UK.
Charlie's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Charlie |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 730 |
| 1881 | 673 |
| 1882 | 759 |
| 1883 | 653 |
| 1884 | 753 |
| 1885 | 714 |
| 1886 | 734 |
| 1887 | 653 |
| 1888 | 809 |
| 1889 | 696 |
| 1890 | 809 |
| 1891 | 723 |
| 1892 | 780 |
| 1893 | 701 |
| 1894 | 721 |
| 1895 | 784 |
| 1896 | 728 |
| 1897 | 737 |
| 1898 | 751 |
| 1899 | 711 |
| 1900 | 1,151 |
| 1901 | 682 |
| 1902 | 796 |
| 1903 | 776 |
| 1904 | 767 |
| 1905 | 840 |
| 1906 | 772 |
| 1907 | 836 |
| 1908 | 783 |
| 1909 | 872 |
| 1910 | 1,172 |
| 1911 | 1,022 |
| 1912 | 1,525 |
| 1913 | 1,694 |
| 1914 | 2,007 |
| 1915 | 2,319 |
| 1916 | 2,535 |
| 1917 | 2,687 |
| 1918 | 2,921 |
| 1919 | 3,090 |
| 1920 | 2,982 |
| 1921 | 2,713 |
| 1922 | 2,836 |
| 1923 | 2,654 |
| 1924 | 2,682 |
| 1925 | 2,760 |
| 1926 | 2,646 |
| 1927 | 2,713 |
| 1928 | 2,651 |
| 1929 | 2,370 |
| 1930 | 2,292 |
| 1931 | 2,135 |
| 1932 | 2,288 |
| 1933 | 2,139 |
| 1934 | 2,027 |
| 1935 | 2,054 |
| 1936 | 1,967 |
| 1937 | 1,918 |
| 1938 | 1,941 |
| 1939 | 1,884 |
| 1940 | 1,896 |
| 1941 | 1,867 |
| 1942 | 1,987 |
| 1943 | 1,982 |
| 1944 | 2,013 |
| 1945 | 1,836 |
| 1946 | 1,900 |
| 1947 | 2,031 |
| 1948 | 2,015 |
| 1949 | 1,948 |
| 1950 | 1,780 |
| 1951 | 1,788 |
| 1952 | 1,747 |
| 1953 | 1,614 |
| 1954 | 1,543 |
| 1955 | 1,507 |
| 1956 | 1,604 |
| 1957 | 1,525 |
| 1958 | 1,482 |
| 1959 | 1,466 |
| 1960 | 1,292 |
| 1961 | 1,268 |
| 1962 | 1,264 |
| 1963 | 1,206 |
| 1964 | 1,103 |
| 1965 | 993 |
| 1966 | 867 |
| 1967 | 836 |
| 1968 | 765 |
| 1969 | 796 |
| 1970 | 790 |
| 1971 | 708 |
| 1972 | 651 |
| 1973 | 632 |
| 1974 | 572 |
| 1975 | 590 |
| 1976 | 625 |
| 1977 | 690 |
| 1978 | 722 |
| 1979 | 768 |
| 1980 | 667 |
| 1981 | 676 |
| 1982 | 574 |
| 1983 | 599 |
| 1984 | 615 |
| 1985 | 627 |
| 1986 | 645 |
| 1987 | 642 |
| 1988 | 623 |
| 1989 | 608 |
| 1990 | 657 |
| 1991 | 649 |
| 1992 | 579 |
| 1993 | 545 |
| 1994 | 558 |
| 1995 | 628 |
| 1996 | 596 |
| 1997 | 605 |
| 1998 | 627 |
| 1999 | 684 |
| 2000 | 657 |
| 2001 | 691 |
| 2002 | 769 |
| 2003 | 884 |
| 2004 | 1,035 |
| 2005 | 1,191 |
| 2006 | 1,286 |
| 2007 | 1,323 |
| 2008 | 1,495 |
| 2009 | 1,745 |
| 2010 | 2,102 |
| 2011 | 2,377 |
| 2012 | 2,582 |
| 2013 | 2,892 |
| 2014 | 3,135 |
| 2015 | 3,236 |
| 2016 | 3,478 |
| 2017 | 3,706 |
| 2018 | 3,580 |
| 2019 | 3,918 |
| 2020 | 4,110 |
| 2021 | 4,230 |
| 2022 | 4,447 |
| 2023 | 4,343 |
| 2024 | 4,193 |
Charlie through the decades
- Charlie peaked in 2022, when 4,447 babies were named Charlie in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Charlie has risen 95% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Charlie currently ranks #140 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Charlie
Variants & spellings
CharleyCharleigh
Famous people named Charlie
- Charlie Chaplin — actor and filmmaker