Charles Name Meaning and Origin

Charles de Gaulle Politician · Born 1890 · France Charles de Gaulle was a pivotal French politician and military leader, best known for leading the Free French Forces during World War II. He later became the President of France, shaping the country's post-war recovery and establishing the Fifth Republic.	Charlemagne Royal · Born 748 · Francia Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was the King of the Franks who united much of Western Europe during the early Middle Ages. He is most famous for being crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800, which laid the foundation for the Holy Roman Empire. His reign marked a period of cultural and intellectual revival known as the Carolingian Renaissance.	Charles III Politician · Born 1948 · United Kingdom Charles III is most famous for being King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. Born Charles Philip Arthur George on 14 November 1948, he became heir apparent in 1952 when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, took the throne after the death of King George VI.
Charles V Royal · Born 1500 · Holy Roman Empire Charles V was a significant figure in European history, best known for being the Holy Roman Emperor during the 16th century. He ruled over a vast empire that included the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish Empire, playing a crucial role in the political and religious landscape of the time. His reign saw the expansion of Spanish territories in the Americas and conflicts with France and the Ottoman Empire.	Charles I of England Politician\|royal · Born 1600 · Kingdom of England Charles I of England was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 until his execution in 1649. He is most famous for his role in the English Civil War, which ultimately led to his downfall and the temporary abolition of the monarchy. His reign was marked by conflicts with Parliament over issues of authority and religion.	Charles Bukowski Actor · Born 1920 · United States Charles Bukowski was a German-American poet and novelist, best known for his gritty and raw writing style that captured the essence of urban life in Los Angeles. His most famous works include 'Post Office', 'Factotum', and 'Women', which explore themes of alcoholism, relationships, and the struggles of the working class.

Charles Aznavour

Actor · Born 1924 · France

Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian singer and songwriter, most famous for his song 'La Bohème'. He also starred in films like 'Shoot the Piano Player' and 'The Tin Drum'. Born in 1924, he became one of France's most beloved musical figures.

Charles II of England

Politician|royal · Born 1630 · Kingdom of England

Charles II is most famous for restoring the English monarchy in 1660 after the civil wars and republican rule under Oliver Cromwell. He was King of Scotland from 1649 to 1651, and then King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the Restoration until his death in 1685, and he was the eldest surviving son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France.

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

Politician · Born 1754 · France

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord was a French politician best known for his role as a skilled diplomat during the Napoleonic era. He played a crucial part in the Congress of Vienna, helping to shape post-Napoleonic Europe. Talleyrand's influence extended across multiple French regimes, making him a key figure in European politics of his time.

Charles the Bald

Royal · Born 823 · West Francia

Charles the Bald was best known as a Carolingian ruler who became king of West Francia and later emperor of the Carolingian Empire. After civil wars during the reign of his father, Louis the Pious, he gained the western third of the empire under the Treaty of Verdun in 843, and he later also ruled Italy.

Charles IV

Politician|royal · Born 1316 · Holy Roman Empire

Charles IV may refer to several historical rulers named Charles the Fourth, most notably monarchs and emperors in European history.

Charles VI of France

Royal · Born 1368 · Kingdom of France

Charles VI of France was most famous for being king during a turbulent period and for the severe mental illness that affected much of his reign. Known as "the Beloved" and later "the Mad," he ruled France from 1380 to 1422 and is especially remembered for his psychotic episodes, including the famous glass delusion.

Charles XIV John of Sweden

Politician|royal · Born 1763 · Sweden

Charles XIV John of Sweden was a prominent royal figure who became the King of Sweden and Norway. Originally a French marshal under Napoleon, he ascended to the Swedish throne in 1818, playing a crucial role in the modernization of the Swedish state during his reign.

Charles VII of France

Royal · Born 1403 · France

Charles VII of France is best known for helping bring the Hundred Years’ War to an end and effectively ending English claims to the French throne. Called “the Victorious” or “the Well-Served,” he ruled France from 1422 until his death in 1461.

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor

Royal · Born 1685 · Hungary

Charles VI was most famous for serving as Holy Roman Emperor and leading the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until 1740. He took the throne after his brother Joseph I and also tried, unsuccessfully, to claim the Spanish crown after the death of Charles II.

Charles Michel

Politician · Born 1975 · Belgium

Charles Michel is a Belgian politician who became well-known as the Prime Minister of Belgium from 2014 to 2019. He currently serves as the President of the European Council, a role he took on in 2019. His leadership in European politics has been significant, especially during key negotiations and discussions within the European Union.

Charles VIII of France

Politician · Born 1470 · France

Charles VIII of France, known for his role in the Italian Wars, was a king who reigned from 1483 until his death in 1498. His ambition to claim the Kingdom of Naples led to significant military campaigns in Italy. Despite his efforts, these campaigns ultimately drained France's resources and had long-lasting impacts on European politics.

Charles V of France

Politician|royal · Born 1338 · France

Charles V of France, best known as the French king who helped turn the tide of the Hundred Years’ War, ruled from 1364 until 1380. Called “the Wise,” he rebuilt France’s strength and recovered much of the territory previously held by the English.

Charles I of Austria

Politician|royal · Born 1887 · Austria

Charles I of Austria is best known as the last emperor of Austria and the last king of Hungary, ruling Austria-Hungary during the final years of World War I. Born in 1887, he became emperor in 1916 and remained the last Habsburg-Lorraine monarch to rule until the monarchy was abolished in 1918.

Charles the Fat

Royal · Born 839

Charles the Fat was best known as the emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 881 to 887. He was the youngest son of Louis the German and Hemma, a member of the Carolingian dynasty, and a great-grandson of Charlemagne.

Charles Albert Gobat

Politician · Born 1843 · Switzerland

Charles Albert Gobat was a Swiss lawyer, educator, and politician best known for winning the 1902 Nobel Peace Prize alongside Élie Ducommun. He was honored for his leadership of the Permanent International Peace Bureau, an important early international peace organization.

Charles the Bold

Politician · Born 1433 · Kingdom of France

Charles the Bold was a prominent Duke of Burgundy in the 15th century, known for his ambitious attempts to expand his territories and influence in Europe. His efforts to create a powerful state between France and the Holy Roman Empire were significant during his time. His life ended at the Battle of Nancy in 1477, marking a pivotal moment in European history.

Charles IV of France

Royal · Born 1294 · France

Charles IV of France is best known as the last king of the direct Capetian line, ruling France and Navarre from 1322 to 1328. Called "the Fair" in France, he was the third son of Philip IV and became king during a crucial turning point in French royal history.

Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve

Politician · Born 1804 · France

Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve was a prominent French literary critic and author, best known for his pioneering work in literary criticism. He wrote 'Port-Royal', a detailed history of the Jansenist religious community, and his 'Causeries du Lundi' are a collection of essays that remain influential.

C. P. Snow

Politician · Born 1905 · United Kingdom

Charles Percy Snow, Baron Snow, was an English novelist and physical chemist best known for his Strangers and Brothers novels and for The Two Cultures, his influential 1959 lecture about the divide between science and the humanities. He also held several important roles in the British Civil Service and briefly served in the UK government.

Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine

Royal · Born 953 · Lower Lotharingia

Charles was best known as the duke of Lower Lorraine, ruling from 977 until his death sometime between 992 and 995. Born around 953, he was a medieval nobleman and member of the Carolingian dynasty.

Name	Last Name(s)	Mother	Mother famous for	Fame Level	Father	Father famous for	Fame Level
Charles	Chaplin				Charlie Chaplin	film director	★★★★★
Charles	Edison				Thomas Edison	film producer	★★★★★
Charles	Archibald Laurie				Hugh Laurie	film director	★★★★★
Charles	Matthau				Walter Matthau	television actor	★★★★★
Charles	Law				Bonar Law	professional boxer	★★★★★
Charles	Shaffer	Anna Wintour	journalist	★★★★★
Charles	Mingus III				Charles Mingus	musician	★★★★★
Charles	Richardson				Ralph Richardson	film director	★★★★★

Charles – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country	Gender	Year	Rank	Born	of
Ireland	Boys	2025	#1	—	836
Germany	Boys	2025	#1	—	423
HT	Girls	0	#9	15	950
HT		0	#9	4	399
HT	Boys	0	#10	27	903
BI		0	#12	1	425
MT	Boys	0	#12	504	4,064
BW		0	#17	3	960
FJ	Boys	0	#17	1	603
CM		0	#20	36	2,592
NA		0	#21	13	2,537
NG		0	#21	484	5,926
BF	Boys	0	#22	5	439
KR	Boys	0	#22	6	897
GH	Boys	0	#23	2,392	8,138
MT		0	#25	19	1,767
BI	Boys	0	#26	18	917
BW	Boys	0	#29	175	4,685
Canada	Boys	2024	#30	653	2,588
ID		0	#30	10	2,238
BN		0	#32	1	2,297
NG	Boys	0	#32	12,716	16,906
ZA	Boys	0	#33	11,298	25,619
CM	Boys	0	#34	2,397	12,054
DJ	Boys	0	#36	1	657
GH		0	#38	362	5,396
CN		0	#42	44	3,857
MO		0	#43	10	2,706
NA	Boys	0	#43	306	6,830
LU		0	#49	18	2,830
United States	Boys	2024	#50	5,593	7,044
CN	Boys	0	#52	531	9,639
TW	Boys	0	#52	349	7,111
Belgium	Boys	2024	#53	149	401
PR		0	#53	3	1,497
New Zealand	Boys	2010	#56	80	99
PH		0	#57	40	5,607
TW		0	#57	44	4,523
CY		0	#60	1	1,632
NL	Boys	2014	#61	6	79
JM		0	#66	22	3,714
JP		0	#69	9	4,057
IN		0	#71	1	2,963
AO		0	#73	5	2,729
ZA		0	#75	524	14,421
MV	Boys	0	#77	3	3,375
QA		0	#77	24	7,011
France	Boys	2021	#78	757	2,865
SI		0	#80	1	1,612
MD	Boys	0	#81	1	756
PH	Boys	0	#88	451	11,440
ID	Boys	0	#89	43	4,130
AF	Girls	0	#94	1	2,402
KW		0	#101	16	5,216
SD		0	#102	1	2,130
Switzerland	Boys	2024	#103	35	1,769
HK	Boys	0	#103	1,466	12,905
OM		0	#103	14	6,215
LU	Boys	0	#109	117	4,970
HU		0	#111	5	1,675
JM	Boys	0	#112	223	6,876
BN	Boys	0	#113	21	6,332
BN	Girls	0	#114	1	5,459
MO	Boys	0	#115	117	5,842
CY	Boys	0	#116	14	3,473
EC		0	#121	1	2,502
BR	Boys	0	#124	3,486	12,213
EE	Boys	0	#124	2	2,087
CR		0	#128	31	5,526
Norway	Boys	2025	#130	5	444
AZ	Boys	0	#131	1	1,400
IQ		0	#131	3	3,533
PA		0	#131	8	3,797
MU		0	#132	6	3,613
GR		0	#133	3	3,911
SG		0	#133	146	11,010
Sweden	Boys	2022	#145	38	1,509
AE		0	#145	33	10,220
BW	Girls	0	#145	7	4,216
MT	Girls	0	#148	6	3,773
LT	Boys	0	#150	2	2,166
HK		0	#152	241	8,483
RS	Boys	0	#153	2	2,277
SG	Boys	0	#154	1,073	17,960
PR	Boys	0	#157	18	2,508
HU	Boys	0	#159	16	3,954
PR	Girls	0	#167	1	3,171
UY		0	#177	6	2,477
AO	Boys	0	#179	65	5,568
CZ		0	#181	6	3,154
LU	Girls	0	#190	1	4,850
RU		0	#190	5	3,641
AR		0	#191	3	2,915
DK		0	#193	11	5,198
EC	Boys	0	#204	36	3,322
MY		0	#207	130	12,352
PS		0	#207	12	5,692
SI	Boys	0	#210	2	3,402
PL		0	#211	2	2,600
BG	Boys	0	#213	8	3,850
AO	Girls	0	#217	1	4,575
MU	Boys	0	#224	139	8,477
JP	Boys	0	#226	72	7,909
IR		0	#228	4	4,221
BR		0	#231	117	5,969
NA	Girls	0	#234	4	7,146
UY	Boys	0	#235	221	5,922
PT		0	#237	10	4,161
BD		0	#239	3	5,992
MY	Boys	0	#242	1,909	25,439
GR	Boys	0	#248	20	6,912
SD	Boys	0	#248	221	10,523
SA		0	#249	47	10,560
IL		0	#252	23	6,291
PT	Boys	0	#253	124	7,951
HR	Boys	0	#257	3	3,997
CR	Boys	0	#258	296	10,188
MO	Girls	0	#262	2	7,056
AF	Boys	0	#268	7	3,535
DK	Boys	0	#269	57	7,401
NL	Boys	0	#270	1,384	5,873
CZ	Boys	0	#271	34	6,530
PE		0	#272	39	6,350
JM	Girls	0	#276	3	7,507
GH	Girls	0	#282	43	6,973
NL		0	#284	108	2,481
Canada	Girls	2000	#288	5	2,355
KZ	Boys	0	#289	8	6,578
TW	Girls	0	#289	1	8,139
HR	Girls	0	#294	1	3,687
CL	Boys	0	#296	737	13,390
Finland		0	#297	11	830
AL	Boys	0	#303	1	5,122
CO	Boys	0	#305	1,420	15,656
PL	Boys	0	#307	29	6,459
France	Girls	1971	#308	4	1,352
PE	Boys	0	#313	1,289	14,506
GT		0	#333	6	5,948
QA	Girls	0	#336	8	15,378
QA	Boys	0	#337	425	18,093
CZ	Girls	0	#351	1	5,378
CN	Girls	0	#353	7	8,829
BO		0	#355	27	6,868
MU	Girls	0	#355	8	8,539
PA	Boys	0	#355	130	9,305
SD	Girls	0	#355	4	7,678
Finland	Boys	0	#357	71	2,041
PL	Girls	0	#363	2	5,096
CL		0	#368	44	6,867
JO	Boys	0	#368	10	7,057
BO	Boys	0	#371	262	9,244
PH	Girls	0	#378	13	13,098
LB		0	#388	315	13,263
Austria	Boys	0	#389	54	2,180
EG		0	#389	12	6,387
YE		0	#390	9	8,639
MX		0	#393	21	8,339
Germany		0	#399	39	2,542
GT	Boys	0	#401	74	7,625
CO		0	#402	79	7,768
Spain		0	#402	51	2,326
BD	Girls	0	#406	1	8,413
AR	Boys	0	#418	50	7,628
OM	Girls	0	#420	5	15,987
NG	Girls	0	#436	434	15,093
LY		0	#438	99	12,703
PS	Boys	0	#452	97	10,655
BH		0	#461	93	17,937
RU	Boys	0	#468	38	12,621
PT	Girls	0	#469	3	7,952
Finland	Boys	2026	#473	242	3,552
CM	Girls	0	#476	65	11,671
KW	Girls	0	#487	29	19,177
IL	Boys	0	#489	119	10,983
KW	Boys	0	#498	281	18,755
Spain	Boys	0	#509	520	5,610
IR	Boys	0	#518	35	10,162
PA	Girls	0	#518	1	9,861
RU	Girls	0	#519	5	11,913
IQ	Girls	0	#523	3	11,303
BD	Boys	0	#526	51	10,045
AE	Girls	0	#533	21	20,968
UY	Girls	0	#534	3	6,731
IR	Girls	0	#545	1	8,334
PS	Girls	0	#546	2	10,981
SG	Girls	0	#557	30	18,916
AE	Boys	0	#567	639	22,615
MX	Boys	0	#569	506	16,355
CR	Girls	0	#572	2	11,342
HK	Girls	0	#602	14	16,104
IT	Boys	0	#602	1,320	10,046
IT		0	#615	100	4,183
OM	Boys	0	#620	271	17,948
IN	Girls	0	#622	10	13,121
Germany	Boys	0	#628	352	5,697
AR	Girls	0	#630	1	8,289
IQ	Boys	0	#640	28	13,071
IL	Girls	0	#643	3	11,648
BO	Girls	0	#651	1	9,488
SY		0	#705	24	11,684
CL	Girls	0	#752	100	14,098
EG	Boys	0	#769	118	15,035
TN		0	#789	41	13,765
IN	Boys	0	#853	149	16,750
SA	Girls	0	#887	49	25,931
BR	Girls	0	#898	44	12,708
United States	Girls	2024	#909	8	8,487
PE	Girls	0	#928	16	14,861
ZA	Girls	0	#930	212	25,928
MY	Girls	0	#961	34	24,821
Spain	Girls	0	#974	10	5,561
MA		0	#987	142	20,986
EG	Girls	0	#1,008	2	14,742
SA	Boys	0	#1,019	686	28,008
DZ		0	#1,102	75	20,130
TR		0	#1,129	83	19,440
CO	Girls	0	#1,145	8	16,140
MX	Girls	0	#1,173	11	17,781
IT	Girls	0	#1,416	31	9,415

Charles is popular in 97 countries — most recent births per country:

France

Norway

Ireland

Scotland, United Kingdom

Canada

Belgium

Flanders, Belgium

Wallonia, Belgium

Brussels, Belgium

England & Wales, United Kingdom

New South Wales, Australia

Switzerland

United States

Sweden

New York City (Asian & Pacific Islander), United States

New York City (White, non-Hispanic), United States

New York City (Hispanic), United States

New Zealand

New York City (Black, non-Hispanic), United States

Austria

Germany

Spain

Finland

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Charles as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Charles

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