Charlie
Boy name · #145 in 2025 · Uniqueness 35/100
Charlie ranks #145 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 2,460 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #231, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 732 boys born in 2025 was named Charlie.
Babies named Charlie per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Charlie first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 730 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1919, when 2,891 boys were named Charlie — good for #66 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 Charlie against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Charlie in class?
Charlie scores 35 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Charlie is most common
Geography matters for names, and Charlie is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Charlies were CA (229), TX (194), FL (135), NY (113), IL (100). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Charlie
Statistically, parents drawn to Charlie tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Calvin, Leon, Harvey, George, and Julius.
CalvinLeonHarveyGeorgeJuliusWarrenArthurLouis
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Charlie | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,460 | #145 |
| 2024 | 2,094 | #176 |
| 2023 | 2,104 | #174 |
| 2022 | 2,110 | #178 |
| 2021 | 2,009 | #188 |
| 2020 | 1,872 | #204 |
| 2019 | 1,832 | #211 |
| 2018 | 1,730 | #218 |
| 2017 | 1,793 | #213 |
| 2016 | 1,711 | #227 |
| 2015 | 1,674 | #231 |
| 2014 | 1,696 | #225 |
| 2013 | 1,565 | #233 |
| 2012 | 1,537 | #233 |
| 2011 | 1,521 | #236 |
| 2010 | 1,431 | #245 |
| 2009 | 1,255 | #274 |
| 2008 | 1,090 | #306 |
| 2007 | 956 | #334 |
| 2006 | 931 | #337 |
| 2005 | 934 | #329 |
| 2004 | 812 | #350 |
| 2003 | 709 | #368 |
| 2002 | 599 | #416 |
| 2001 | 553 | #439 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Charlie a popular boy name?
Charlie ranked #145 among boys in 2025 with 2,460 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #231.
When was the name Charlie most popular?
Charlie peaked in 1919, when 2,891 American boys received the name (ranked #66 that year). Since 1919 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Charlie?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 732 newborn American boys was named Charlie. It scores 35/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.