Carlo

Carlo - A very unique male name

Carlo appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #451. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Carlo and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Carlo? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Carlo. The baby boy name Carlo was given to 220 baby boys in 2025, ranking #894 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,665 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Carlo peaked in popularity 112 years ago in 1914 on position 414.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Carlo, 1-5?

Carlo is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Carlo is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #531 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #1,230.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Carlo is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Carlo origin and meaning

Italian, from Germanic

Italian form of Charles, from Germanic karl, 'free man'

Carlo is the Italian form of Charles, a name built on the old Germanic word for a free man, and it has been the name of Italian kings and saints. In the US it has been recorded since 1911 at low levels and is now at its highest point ever, in 2025, as short international classics come back into fashion.

Attested etymology

Carlo is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Carlo, pop culture references for the name Carlo and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Carlo

We've found the following names that sound similar to Carlo, sorted by popularity.

Carl / Charlie / Carroll / Charley / Cyril / Carol / Carrol / Curley / Carlyle / Charly /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Carlo

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Carlo a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Carlo?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

KAR-loh · /ˈkɑːrloʊ/

Around the world

• Carlo (Italian) — Used as-is in Italy
• Carlos (Spanish) — The Spanish form of the same name
• Charles (French) — The French and English form
• Karl (German) — The German form

Spellings and nicknames

• Carlos — The Spanish form — a separate name in the data

Famous bearers

• Carlo Ancelotti — Italian football manager, among the most decorated coaches in European football (b. 1959) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents choose it as Charles with continental polish — classic roots, but warmer and less expected than Charlie.

Worth knowing

• In the US it may be assumed to be Carlos, or heard as a nickname for it.