Charles
Boy name · #48 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Charles? In official American birth records, Charles has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Charles ranks #48 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 5,898 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #50, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 305 boys born in 2025 was named Charles.
Babies named Charles per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Charles first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5,348 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 40,781 boys were named Charles — good for #9 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Charles against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Charles in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Charles is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Charles is most common
Geography matters for names, and Charles is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Charles is most common in DC (13 per 1,000), VT (13 per 1,000), AK (12 per 1,000), NH (9.5 per 1,000), ME (9.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Charles is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Charles
Charles carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Charles family went to about 8,445 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #18, versus #48 for Charles alone.
Names like Charles
Statistically, parents drawn to Charles tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Thomas, Robert, David, John, and Joseph.
ThomasRobertDavidJohnJosephMichaelVincentPeter
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Charles | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,898 | #48 |
| 2024 | 5,613 | #51 |
| 2023 | 5,421 | #54 |
| 2022 | 5,934 | #50 |
| 2021 | 6,010 | #50 |
| 2020 | 6,249 | #46 |
| 2019 | 6,406 | #52 |
| 2018 | 6,667 | #53 |
| 2017 | 7,193 | #48 |
| 2016 | 7,127 | #52 |
| 2015 | 7,204 | #50 |
| 2014 | 7,362 | #51 |
| 2013 | 7,025 | #57 |
| 2012 | 6,947 | #62 |
| 2011 | 6,987 | #61 |
| 2010 | 7,106 | #63 |
| 2009 | 7,284 | #64 |
| 2008 | 7,288 | #63 |
| 2007 | 7,452 | #62 |
| 2006 | 8,013 | #60 |
| 2005 | 7,933 | #56 |
| 2004 | 7,652 | #56 |
| 2003 | 7,696 | #57 |
| 2002 | 7,208 | #58 |
| 2001 | 7,283 | #55 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Charles?
In official American birth records, the name Charles first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5,348 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Charles a popular boy name?
Charles ranked #48 among boys in 2025 with 5,898 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #50.
When was the name Charles most popular?
Charles peaked in 1947, when 40,781 American boys received the name (ranked #9 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Charles?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 305 newborn American boys was named Charles. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.