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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201973peak #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 1973

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #25 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 88 boysAKMaine: #36 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 127 boysMEVermont: #35 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 111 boysVTNew Hampshire: #39 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 125 boysNHWashington: #34 for boys · 164 births · 1 in 131 boysWAIdaho: #36 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 145 boysIDMontana: #31 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 109 boysMTNorth Dakota: #42 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 153 boysNDMinnesota: #40 for boys · 170 births · 1 in 150 boysMNIllinois: #24 for boys · 719 births · 1 in 109 boysILWisconsin: #41 for boys · 168 births · 1 in 175 boysWIMichigan: #25 for boys · 622 births · 1 in 106 boysMINew York: #29 for boys · 887 births · 1 in 129 boysNYMassachusetts: #37 for boys · 243 births · 1 in 145 boysMARhode Island: #34 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 127 boysRIOregon: #41 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 163 boysORNevada: #26 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 100 boysNVWyoming: #26 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 81 boysWYSouth Dakota: #30 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 100 boysSDIowa: #40 for boys · 119 births · 1 in 153 boysIAIndiana: #21 for boys · 482 births · 1 in 82 boysINOhio: #23 for boys · 901 births · 1 in 86 boysOHPennsylvania: #23 for boys · 811 births · 1 in 91 boysPANew Jersey: #22 for boys · 427 births · 1 in 101 boysNJConnecticut: #36 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 154 boysCTCalifornia: #31 for boys · 967 births · 1 in 149 boysCAUtah: #56 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 232 boysUTColorado: #32 for boys · 148 births · 1 in 122 boysCONebraska: #37 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 146 boysNEMissouri: #21 for boys · 397 births · 1 in 83 boysMOKentucky: #10 for boys · 493 births · 1 in 52 boysKYWest Virginia: #10 for boys · 270 births · 1 in 48 boysWVVirginia: #11 for boys · 491 births · 1 in 64 boysVAMaryland: #11 for boys · 391 births · 1 in 55 boysMDDelaware: #20 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 67 boysDEArizona: #26 for boys · 143 births · 1 in 120 boysAZNew Mexico: #22 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 113 boysNMKansas: #30 for boys · 108 births · 1 in 128 boysKSArkansas: #11 for boys · 229 births · 1 in 66 boysARTennessee: #11 for boys · 537 births · 1 in 58 boysTNNorth Carolina: #10 for boys · 680 births · 1 in 58 boysNCSouth Carolina: #11 for boys · 356 births · 1 in 60 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #16 for boys · 119 births · 1 in 70 boysDCOklahoma: #14 for boys · 231 births · 1 in 79 boysOKLouisiana: #10 for boys · 452 births · 1 in 66 boysLAMississippi: #9 for boys · 342 births · 1 in 55 boysMSAlabama: #10 for boys · 444 births · 1 in 60 boysALGeorgia: #10 for boys · 635 births · 1 in 62 boysGAHawaii: #26 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 103 boysHITexas: #17 for boys · 995 births · 1 in 105 boysTXFlorida: #13 for boys · 695 births · 1 in 71 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Mississippi#9 · 1 in 55
  2. West Virginia#10 · 1 in 48
  3. Kentucky#10 · 1 in 52
  4. North Carolina#10 · 1 in 58
  5. Alabama#10 · 1 in 60

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#93421 in 55
Alabama#104441 in 60
Georgia#106351 in 62
Kentucky#104931 in 52
Louisiana#104521 in 66
North Carolina#106801 in 58
West Virginia#102701 in 48
Arkansas#112291 in 66
Maryland#113911 in 55
South Carolina#113561 in 60
Tennessee#115371 in 58
Virginia#114911 in 64
Florida#136951 in 71
Oklahoma#142311 in 79
District of Columbia#161191 in 70
Texas#179951 in 105
Delaware#20501 in 67
Indiana#214821 in 82
Missouri#213971 in 83
New Jersey#224271 in 101
New Mexico#22781 in 113
Ohio#239011 in 86
Pennsylvania#238111 in 91
Illinois#247191 in 109
Alaska#25281 in 88
Michigan#256221 in 106
Arizona#261431 in 120
Hawaii#26571 in 103
Nevada#26331 in 100
Wyoming#26281 in 81
New York#298871 in 129
Kansas#301081 in 128
South Dakota#30441 in 100
California#319671 in 149
Montana#31431 in 109
Colorado#321481 in 122
Rhode Island#34441 in 127
Washington#341641 in 131
Vermont#35241 in 111
Connecticut#361091 in 154
Idaho#36411 in 145
Maine#36551 in 127
Massachusetts#372431 in 145
Nebraska#37711 in 146
New Hampshire#39391 in 125
Iowa#401191 in 153
Minnesota#401701 in 150
Oregon#41881 in 163
Wisconsin#411681 in 175
North Dakota#42291 in 153
Utah#56551 in 232

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 1973

girls
#1,009
117 births · 1 in 12,463 girls
boys
#23
15,752 births · 1 in 99 boys

Top girls' names in 1973

  1. #1Jennifer62,448
  2. #2Amy26,962
  3. #3Michelle26,935
  4. #4Kimberly23,531
  5. #5Lisa22,677
  6. #6Melissa22,479
  7. #7Angela20,898
  8. #8Heather19,347
  9. #9Stephanie17,263
  10. #10Rebecca14,868
  11. #1,009Charles117

Top boys' names in 1973

  1. #1Michael67,797
  2. #2Christopher48,313
  3. #3Jason46,683
  4. #4James42,836
  5. #5David41,082
  6. #6John39,165
  7. #7Robert38,698
  8. #8Brian35,686
  9. #9William28,018
  10. #10Matthew24,531
  11. #23Charles15,752
More about 1973

girls

1,458,209 girls got a published name in 1973; 1 in 12,463 of them was named Charles, which outranked 89.7% of the 9,810 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #1,001Portia118
  2. #1,001Sherita118
  3. #1,001Stefani118
  4. #1,009Charles117
  5. #1,009Lashunda117
  6. #1,009Verna117
  7. #1,012Cathryn116
  8. #1,012Julianna116
  9. #1,012Towanda116

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1972
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,091Cicely#4,793 → #702
  2. ↑ 2,295Aubrey#3,177 → #882
  3. ↑ 1,847Nyree#2,680 → #833
  4. ↑ 1,533Danyell#2,523 → #990
  5. ↑ 1,496Vonetta#2,311 → #815
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,814Camisha#815 → #2,629
  2. ↓ 470Andra#904 → #1,374
  3. ↓ 416Cherilyn#823 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 284Keena#848 → #1,132
  5. ↓ 281Nicolle#734 → #1,015

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

boys

1,558,576 boys got a published name in 1973; 1 in 99 of them was named Charles, which outranked 99.6% of the 5,877 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #20Steven17,175
  2. #21Anthony16,414
  3. #22Timothy16,036
  4. #23Charles15,752
  5. #24Paul12,901
  6. #25Chad12,886
  7. #26Gregory11,674
Biggest movers since 1972
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,348Vashon#3,152 → #804
  2. ↑ 1,405Jory#2,158 → #753
  3. ↑ 348Pernell#1,262 → #914
  4. ↑ 345Enoch#1,307 → #962
  5. ↑ 273Tarik#1,177 → #904
Fallers
  1. ↓ 669Jabbar#917 → #1,586
  2. ↓ 361Wes#993 → #1,354
  3. ↓ 326Paris#797 → #1,123
  4. ↓ 284Christophe#984 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 272Bennett#851 → #1,123

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

See the top 100 for 1973 →