Charleston
Boy name · #3003 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Charleston? In official American birth records, Charleston has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
Charleston is currently the #3003 boy name in the United States — 41 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1740, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 43,902 boys born in 2025 was named Charleston.
The 111-year story
Charleston first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 88 boys were named Charleston — good for #1740 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Charleston per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Charleston against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Charleston in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Charleston is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Charleston will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Charleston is most common
State-level data for Charleston is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Charleston
Statistically, parents drawn to Charleston tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hamilton, Creighton, Lawton, Patton, and Ellington.
HamiltonCreightonLawtonPattonEllingtonBrittonStocktonDrayton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Charleston | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #2991 |
| 2024 | 46 | #2789 |
| 2023 | 29 | #3802 |
| 2022 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2021 | 54 | #2464 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 70 | #2062 |
| 2018 | 58 | #2300 |
| 2017 | 58 | #2270 |
| 2016 | 65 | #2134 |
| 2015 | 88 | #1740 |
| 2014 | 71 | #2000 |
| 2013 | 51 | #2424 |
| 2012 | 50 | #2488 |
| 2011 | 51 | #2437 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2579 |
| 2009 | 53 | #2401 |
| 2008 | 27 | #3823 |
| 2007 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2006 | 42 | #2744 |
| 2005 | 34 | #3022 |
| 2004 | 32 | #3074 |
| 2003 | 35 | #2780 |
| 2002 | 22 | #3794 |
| 2001 | 37 | #2562 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Charleston?
In official American birth records, the name Charleston first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Charleston a popular boy name?
Charleston ranked #3003 among boys in 2025 with 41 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1740.
When was the name Charleston most popular?
Charleston peaked in 2015, when 88 American boys received the name (ranked #1740 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Charleston?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 43,902 newborn American boys was named Charleston. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.