Charlie

Charlie - A very unique male name

Charlie appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #33. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Charlie and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Charlie? 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 Charlie. The baby boy name Charlie was given to 2,460 baby boys in 2025, ranking #144 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 596 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Charlie peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 33.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Charlie, 1-5?

Charlie is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Charlie is currently topping the baby name charts in Vermont at position #58 - and is the least popular in Nevada at position #275.

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 Charlie is where you live.

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Charlie origin and meaning

English — diminutive of Charles, now a full name

A pet form of Charles, 'free man,' used independently for over a century

Charlie started as the universal nickname for Charles and has long been given on its own — it was already in US data in 1910 and peaked in 1919. It is now reviving as a full name, rising from #204 in 2020 to #144 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Charlie is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Charlie

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

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

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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 Charlie

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 Charlie 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 Charlie?

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.

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Pronunciation

CHAR-lee · /ˈtʃɑːrli/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Charley — An -ey spelling
• Charly — A simplified spelling

Famous bearers

• Charlie Chaplin — Silent-film comedian, born Charles Chaplin and universally known as Charlie (1889–1977) Historical
• Charlie Parker — Jazz saxophonist who helped create bebop, born Charles Parker Jr. (1920–1955) Historical
• Charlie Day — Actor, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, born Charles Day (b. 1976) Contemporary

Style

Nickname nameClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Charlie is friendly, cheeky and unpretentious — a nickname name parents now choose on the birth certificate. Its revival tracks the broader return of early-1900s names.

Worth knowing

• Also popular for girls in the US, so it is genuinely unisex now
• Many will assume it is short for Charles