Charles

#9,457 for girls in 2025, 10 births · #48 for boys in 2025, 5,898 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
#4
1880 · 5,348 births
Debut · boys
1880
5,348 births
In top 100 · boys
146 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
2,434,659
since 1880

Charles over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201944peak #4, 1880boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#9,45710#485,898
2024#11,1228#515,613
2023#10,3129#545,421
2022#10,3839#505,934
2021#15,2515#506,010
2020#7,96913#466,249
2019#10,4739#526,406
2018#8,14613#536,667
2017#8,77612#487,193
2016#6,90117#527,127
2015#10,8669#507,204
2014#7,63615#517,362
2013#7,74815#577,025
2012#7,80415#626,947
2011#11,1819#616,987
2010#12,2768#637,106
2009—#647,284
2008#6,79919#637,288
2007#9,53912#627,452
2006#8,23714#608,013
2005#7,13816#567,933
2004#2,92754#567,652
2003#11,3258#577,696
2002#12,1877#587,208
2001#6,32217#557,283
2000#7,15814#517,525
1999#8,22311#507,525
1998#8,01611#487,849
1997#6,16315#497,656
1996#5,06519#438,248
1995#4,51822#448,478
1994#5,01619#439,018
1993#3,77628#449,855
1992#3,41932#4310,469
1991#3,20734#3811,336
1990#2,73742#3812,000
1989#2,07260#3612,245
1988#1,49191#3712,109
1987#1,54582#3512,173
1986#1,47285#3412,625
1985#1,269106#3412,900
1984#1,179112#3312,942
1983#1,114121#3313,212
1982#1,131124#3114,310
1981#1,261102#3114,427
1980#1,161116#2914,959
1979#1,061130#2814,806
1978#1,104118#2714,844
1977#1,31588#2614,743
1976#1,122106#2613,921
1975#963129#2514,574
1974#1,133102#2315,151
1973#1,009117#2315,752
1972#982122#2316,968
1971#903146#2219,851
1970#891148#2122,411
1969#912135#1921,658
1968#906130#2021,575
1967#926122#2021,288
1966#874131#2022,252
1965#870132#2023,494
1964#920129#1725,908
1963#898136#1626,762
1962#960122#1527,590
1961#987120#1329,194
1960#926132#1329,677
1959#837150#1130,797
1958#900129#1132,242
1957#821152#1134,283
1956#792156#1135,239
1955#788148#1135,365
1954#838126#1037,463
1953#779138#938,421
1952#831121#938,866
1951#710151#939,406
1950#693154#939,095
1949#708143#940,052
1948#679150#938,676
1947#725138#940,781
1946#695134#938,215
1945#658125#732,469
1944#615142#734,662
1943#571176#736,632
1942#579163#735,854
1941#563155#632,742
1940#588140#631,689
1939#548149#630,789
1938#570144#631,151
1937#496176#630,520
1936#567133#629,101
1935#528149#629,983
1934#496168#729,790
1933#446209#628,991
1932#468197#631,092
1931#443212#629,934
1930#436237#631,867
1929#408262#529,930
1928#412271#531,243
1927#395303#531,941
1926#451225#529,521
1925#470216#529,580
1924#526186#530,460
1923#570159#528,966
1922#488199#528,839
1921#539176#529,242
1920#564163#528,309
1919#616129#525,192
1918#592144#526,921
1917#612124#724,143
1916#606123#623,612
1915#658101#721,960
1914#67175#716,937
1913#74849#713,191
1912#59667#711,070
1911#68640#75,725
1910#75332#74,784
1909#74729#74,029
1908#70930#73,929
1907#84020#63,884
1906#74224#63,607
1905#77722#53,608
1904#71024#63,406
1903#78919#53,213
1902#66725#53,361
1901#65923#53,049
1900#67628#54,098
1899#64423#53,147
1898#76819#53,557
1897#69920#53,341
1896#1,04710#53,639
1895#57827#53,633
1894#56826#53,788
1893#59423#53,723
1892#50329#54,319
1891#47529#53,640
1890#47530#54,061
1889#46828#54,199
1888#47028#54,591
1887#37233#54,031
1886#45922#54,533
1885#42824#54,599
1884#46319#54,802
1883#45118#44,826
1882#37223#55,091
1881#40517#54,636
1880#51811#45,348
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Charles was already there! It came in at #4, and was given to 5,348 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1889–1909, when fewer than 4,400 boys a year got the name.

Where Charles is popular in 1944

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #8 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 32 boysAKMaine: #9 for boys · 177 births · 1 in 43 boysMEVermont: #14 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 56 boysVTNew Hampshire: #13 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 50 boysNHWashington: #14 for boys · 344 births · 1 in 58 boysWAIdaho: #12 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 54 boysIDMontana: #11 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 44 boysMTNorth Dakota: #16 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 69 boysNDMinnesota: #15 for boys · 435 births · 1 in 59 boysMNIllinois: #10 for boys · 1,588 births · 1 in 42 boysILWisconsin: #15 for boys · 436 births · 1 in 65 boysWIMichigan: #11 for boys · 1,164 births · 1 in 46 boysMINew York: #10 for boys · 2,323 births · 1 in 47 boysNYMassachusetts: #12 for boys · 752 births · 1 in 50 boysMARhode Island: #13 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 42 boysRIOregon: #13 for boys · 198 births · 1 in 56 boysORNevada: #11 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 39 boysNVWyoming: #6 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 32 boysWYSouth Dakota: #15 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 56 boysSDIowa: #14 for boys · 413 births · 1 in 52 boysIAIndiana: #9 for boys · 951 births · 1 in 35 boysINOhio: #8 for boys · 1,768 births · 1 in 35 boysOHPennsylvania: #9 for boys · 2,395 births · 1 in 35 boysPANew Jersey: #11 for boys · 803 births · 1 in 43 boysNJConnecticut: #14 for boys · 322 births · 1 in 48 boysCTCalifornia: #10 for boys · 1,718 births · 1 in 49 boysCAUtah: #23 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 101 boysUTColorado: #7 for boys · 253 births · 1 in 44 boysCONebraska: #15 for boys · 206 births · 1 in 54 boysNEMissouri: #6 for boys · 1,050 births · 1 in 31 boysMOKentucky: #3 for boys · 1,174 births · 1 in 24 boysKYWest Virginia: #5 for boys · 783 births · 1 in 24 boysWVVirginia: #5 for boys · 1,013 births · 1 in 29 boysVAMaryland: #5 for boys · 777 births · 1 in 24 boysMDDelaware: #6 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 25 boysDEArizona: #10 for boys · 131 births · 1 in 53 boysAZNew Mexico: #11 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 66 boysNMKansas: #10 for boys · 409 births · 1 in 38 boysKSArkansas: #2 for boys · 733 births · 1 in 27 boysARTennessee: #4 for boys · 1,228 births · 1 in 26 boysTNNorth Carolina: #5 for boys · 1,343 births · 1 in 31 boysNCSouth Carolina: #5 for boys · 748 births · 1 in 32 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #6 for boys · 361 births · 1 in 27 boysDCOklahoma: #5 for boys · 684 births · 1 in 32 boysOKLouisiana: #4 for boys · 871 births · 1 in 31 boysLAMississippi: #6 for boys · 823 births · 1 in 29 boysMSAlabama: #5 for boys · 1,126 births · 1 in 29 boysALGeorgia: #5 for boys · 1,299 births · 1 in 28 boysGAHawaii: #19 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 74 boysHITexas: #4 for boys · 2,011 births · 1 in 39 boysTXFlorida: #5 for boys · 762 births · 1 in 31 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Arkansas#2 · 1 in 27
  2. Kentucky#3 · 1 in 24
  3. Tennessee#4 · 1 in 26
  4. Louisiana#4 · 1 in 31
  5. Texas#4 · 1 in 39

Best ever in a state: #2 in Vermont, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arkansas#27331 in 27
Kentucky#31,1741 in 24
Louisiana#48711 in 31
Tennessee#41,2281 in 26
Texas#42,0111 in 39
Alabama#51,1261 in 29
Florida#57621 in 31
Georgia#51,2991 in 28
Maryland#57771 in 24
North Carolina#51,3431 in 31
Oklahoma#56841 in 32
South Carolina#57481 in 32
Virginia#51,0131 in 29
West Virginia#57831 in 24
Delaware#6961 in 25
District of Columbia#63611 in 27
Mississippi#68231 in 29
Missouri#61,0501 in 31
Wyoming#6671 in 32
Colorado#72531 in 44
Alaska#8181 in 32
Ohio#81,7681 in 35
Indiana#99511 in 35
Maine#91771 in 43
Pennsylvania#92,3951 in 35
Arizona#101311 in 53
California#101,7181 in 49
Illinois#101,5881 in 42
Kansas#104091 in 38
New York#102,3231 in 47
Michigan#111,1641 in 46
Montana#111031 in 44
Nevada#11281 in 39
New Jersey#118031 in 43
New Mexico#111031 in 66
Idaho#12941 in 54
Massachusetts#127521 in 50
New Hampshire#13741 in 50
Oregon#131981 in 56
Rhode Island#131441 in 42
Connecticut#143221 in 48
Iowa#144131 in 52
Vermont#14461 in 56
Washington#143441 in 58
Minnesota#154351 in 59
Nebraska#152061 in 54
South Dakota#15941 in 56
Wisconsin#154361 in 65
North Dakota#16831 in 69
Hawaii#19691 in 74
Utah#23711 in 101

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Charles
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 3 spots since 2024 (#51 → #48)
  • 2 spots since 2020 (#46 → #48)
  • 2 spots since 2015 (#50 → #48)
  • Biggest jump: 6 spots in 2014 (#57 → #51)
  • Biggest drop: 6 spots in 1997 (#43 → #49)
Rise & fade · boys
Peaked on debut
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1880 at #4 (5,348 births)
  • Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 75 yrs
  • Top 10: 75 yrs · run 1880–1954
  • Top 100: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 21
  • Highest: 1 in 21 boys born in 1880 were named Charles (4.8%)
  • Latest: 1 in 290 boys born in 2025 (0.35%)
Era · boys
The 1940s
  • 14.9% of all boys named Charles (361,772) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s46,656#4 (1880)#5
1890s36,848#5 (1892)#5
1900s36,184#5 (1900)#6
1910s173,535#5 (1918)#7
1920s298,031#5 (1927)#5
1930s303,218#6 (1930)#6
1940s361,772#6 (1941)#8
1950s361,177#9 (1951)#10
1960s249,398#13 (1960)#17
1970s163,021#21 (1970)#24
1980s131,902#29 (1980)#33
1990s92,434#38 (1990)#44
2000s75,334#51 (2000)#58
2010s70,024#48 (2017)#55
2020s35,125#46 (2020)#50

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Charles in 1944

girls
#615
142 births · 1 in 9,347 girls
boys
#7
34,662 births · 1 in 39 boys

Top girls' names in 1944

  1. #1Mary62,476
  2. #2Barbara39,196
  3. #3Linda38,415
  4. #4Patricia36,874
  5. #5Carol30,456
  6. #6Sandra26,024
  7. #7Nancy23,218
  8. #8Sharon22,433
  9. #9Judith22,431
  10. #10Betty19,761
  11. #615Charles142

Top boys' names in 1944

  1. #1James76,951
  2. #2Robert70,855
  3. #3John66,616
  4. #4William52,375
  5. #5Richard45,643
  6. #6David37,382
  7. #7Charles34,662
  8. #8Thomas31,604
  9. #9Michael26,717
  10. #10Ronald25,513
More about 1944

girls

1,327,223 girls got a published name in 1944; 1 in 9,347 of them was named Charles, which outranked 88.3% of the 5,243 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #611Sydney145
  2. #613Jerri144
  3. #614Pattie143
  4. #615Charles142
  5. #616Carmela141
  6. #616Flossie141
  7. #616Jerrie141
Biggest movers since 1943
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,229Dorinda#1,834 → #605
  2. ↑ 611Deirdre#1,556 → #945
  3. ↑ 504Alana#1,251 → #747
  4. ↑ 460Elyse#1,327 → #867
  5. ↑ 407Joella#1,395 → #988
Fallers
  1. ↓ 613Michal#996 → #1,609
  2. ↓ 493Aloma#762 → #1,255
  3. ↓ 448Louvenia#916 → #1,364
  4. ↓ 347Norine#889 → #1,236
  5. ↓ 341Lyla#864 → #1,205

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,362,875 boys got a published name in 1944; 1 in 39 of them was named Charles, which outranked 99.8% of the 3,909 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #4William52,375
  2. #5Richard45,643
  3. #6David37,382
  4. #7Charles34,662
  5. #8Thomas31,604
  6. #9Michael26,717
  7. #10Ronald25,513
Biggest movers since 1943
Risers
  1. ↑ 647Rickie#1,461 → #814
  2. ↑ 586Rusty#1,577 → #991
  3. ↑ 585Humberto#1,280 → #695
  4. ↑ 408Llewellyn#1,343 → #935
  5. ↑ 402Hilario#1,308 → #906
Fallers
  1. ↓ 359Elwyn#923 → #1,282
  2. ↓ 356Albin#856 → #1,212
  3. ↓ 348Prentiss#980 → #1,328
  4. ↓ 286Barrie#969 → #1,255
  5. ↓ 269Duke#986 → #1,255

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1944 →