The story behind Charles
From French Charles, from Old French Charles, Carles, from Latin Carolus, from and also reinfluenced by Frankish and Old High German Karl, from Proto-Germanic *karilaz (“free man”); compare the English word churl and the German Kerl.
Other language forms and explanations (2)
French entry
From Old French Charles, Carles, from Latin Carolus, from Germanic.
Portuguese entry
Unadapted borrowing from French Charles or English Charles. Doublet of Carlos.
Pronunciation
General-American: /t͡ʃɑɹlz/
Regional pronunciation variants
- General-American: /t͡ʃɑ˞lz/
- Received-Pronunciation: /t͡ʃɑːlz/
- French: /ʃaʁl/
- Portuguese; Brazil: /ˈʃaʁ.lis/
- Portuguese; Brazil: [ˈʃaɦ.lis]
- Portuguese; São-Paulo: /ˈʃaɾ.lis/
- Portuguese; Rio-de-Janeiro: /ˈʃaʁ.liʃ/
- Portuguese; Caipira: /ˈʃaɻ.lis/
- Portuguese; Portugal: /ˈʃaɾ.lɨʃ/
- Portuguese; Northern; Portugal: /ˈt͡ʃaɾ.lɨʃ/
Popularity
Charles ranked #9583 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Charles
Carles
Borrowed from Catalan Carles. Inherited from Latin Carolus, from Old High German Karl, from Proto-Germanic *karlaz.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Clœlius
From Latin Cloelius.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Agnès
From Latin Agnes.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Dimes
From Latin Dymas, from Ancient Greek Δυσμάς (Dusmás, “to the west”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Foulques
Inherited from Latin Fulcus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Frances
From Old French Franceise, feminine form of Franceis, from Late Latin Franciscus (“Frankish”). Doublet of Francisca.
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Charles
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abel
English Abel From Middle English Abel, from Old English Ābel, from Latin Abel, from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel, “Abel”), possibly from the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abílio
Perhaps from Latin abilius (“not vindictive”). Possibly related to Abelardo.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Charles
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abelard
From French Abélard, an extension of the Abel with an Germanic suffix -(h)ard. Possibly also regarded a variant of the German Eberhard "boar" + "hard", equivalent to English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length