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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201985peak #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 1985

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #42 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 136 boysAKMaine: #46 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 144 boysMEVermont: #57 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 196 boysVTNew Hampshire: #58 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 221 boysNHWashington: #47 for boys · 184 births · 1 in 171 boysWAIdaho: #64 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 278 boysIDMontana: #54 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 185 boysMTNorth Dakota: #77 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 291 boysNDMinnesota: #49 for boys · 175 births · 1 in 181 boysMNIllinois: #39 for boys · 557 births · 1 in 148 boysILWisconsin: #54 for boys · 159 births · 1 in 215 boysWIMichigan: #37 for boys · 451 births · 1 in 144 boysMINew York: #36 for boys · 784 births · 1 in 154 boysNYMassachusetts: #41 for boys · 229 births · 1 in 171 boysMARhode Island: #55 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 248 boysRIOregon: #46 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 161 boysORNevada: #48 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 172 boysNVWyoming: #39 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 119 boysWYSouth Dakota: #77 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 341 boysSDIowa: #53 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 210 boysIAIndiana: #36 for boys · 293 births · 1 in 129 boysINOhio: #33 for boys · 675 births · 1 in 114 boysOHPennsylvania: #43 for boys · 485 births · 1 in 159 boysPANew Jersey: #36 for boys · 325 births · 1 in 143 boysNJConnecticut: #40 for boys · 127 births · 1 in 157 boysCTCalifornia: #46 for boys · 1,058 births · 1 in 211 boysCAUtah: #67 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 247 boysUTColorado: #48 for boys · 141 births · 1 in 179 boysCONebraska: #49 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 175 boysNEMissouri: #41 for boys · 268 births · 1 in 138 boysMOKentucky: #18 for boys · 337 births · 1 in 74 boysKYWest Virginia: #20 for boys · 164 births · 1 in 71 boysWVVirginia: #24 for boys · 393 births · 1 in 96 boysVAMaryland: #26 for boys · 330 births · 1 in 84 boysMDDelaware: #32 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 94 boysDEArizona: #43 for boys · 158 births · 1 in 167 boysAZNew Mexico: #43 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 168 boysNMKansas: #49 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 177 boysKSArkansas: #17 for boys · 186 births · 1 in 82 boysARTennessee: #17 for boys · 409 births · 1 in 79 boysTNNorth Carolina: #18 for boys · 476 births · 1 in 85 boysNCSouth Carolina: #17 for boys · 263 births · 1 in 81 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #18 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 87 boysDCOklahoma: #34 for boys · 202 births · 1 in 117 boysOKLouisiana: #23 for boys · 333 births · 1 in 108 boysLAMississippi: #17 for boys · 230 births · 1 in 76 boysMSAlabama: #17 for boys · 304 births · 1 in 84 boysALGeorgia: #17 for boys · 510 births · 1 in 85 boysGAHawaii: #41 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 152 boysHITexas: #34 for boys · 993 births · 1 in 148 boysTXFlorida: #26 for boys · 702 births · 1 in 106 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Mississippi#17 · 1 in 76
  2. Tennessee#17 · 1 in 79
  3. South Carolina#17 · 1 in 81
  4. Arkansas#17 · 1 in 82
  5. Alabama#17 · 1 in 84

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alabama#173041 in 84
Arkansas#171861 in 82
Georgia#175101 in 85
Mississippi#172301 in 76
South Carolina#172631 in 81
Tennessee#174091 in 79
District of Columbia#18891 in 87
Kentucky#183371 in 74
North Carolina#184761 in 85
West Virginia#201641 in 71
Louisiana#233331 in 108
Virginia#243931 in 96
Florida#267021 in 106
Maryland#263301 in 84
Delaware#32431 in 94
Ohio#336751 in 114
Oklahoma#342021 in 117
Texas#349931 in 148
Indiana#362931 in 129
New Jersey#363251 in 143
New York#367841 in 154
Michigan#374511 in 144
Illinois#395571 in 148
Wyoming#39291 in 119
Connecticut#401271 in 157
Hawaii#41451 in 152
Massachusetts#412291 in 171
Missouri#412681 in 138
Alaska#42371 in 136
Arizona#431581 in 167
New Mexico#43691 in 168
Pennsylvania#434851 in 159
California#461,0581 in 211
Maine#46501 in 144
Oregon#461131 in 161
Washington#471841 in 171
Colorado#481411 in 179
Nevada#48361 in 172
Kansas#49981 in 177
Minnesota#491751 in 181
Nebraska#49671 in 175
Iowa#53921 in 210
Montana#54301 in 185
Wisconsin#541591 in 215
Rhode Island#55241 in 248
Vermont#57171 in 196
New Hampshire#58311 in 221
Idaho#64261 in 278
Utah#67691 in 247
North Dakota#77191 in 291
South Dakota#77151 in 341

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 1985

girls
#1,269
106 births · 1 in 16,234 girls
boys
#34
12,900 births · 1 in 143 boys

Top girls' names in 1985

  1. #1Jessica48,345
  2. #2Ashley47,010
  3. #3Jennifer42,661
  4. #4Amanda39,055
  5. #5Sarah24,879
  6. #6Stephanie23,243
  7. #7Nicole22,966
  8. #8Heather21,151
  9. #9Elizabeth20,545
  10. #10Megan20,013
  11. #1,269Charles106

Top boys' names in 1985

  1. #1Michael64,934
  2. #2Christopher59,609
  3. #3Matthew47,075
  4. #4Joshua42,194
  5. #5Daniel38,559
  6. #6David38,522
  7. #7James35,862
  8. #8Robert32,094
  9. #9John31,502
  10. #10Joseph30,222
  11. #34Charles12,900
More about 1985

girls

1,720,828 girls got a published name in 1985; 1 in 16,234 of them was named Charles, which outranked 89.9% of the 12,505 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #1,263Letitia107
  2. #1,263Mildred107
  3. #1,263Rayna107
  4. #1,269Charles106
  5. #1,269Carlee106
  6. #1,269Coral106
  7. #1,269Katelynn106
  8. #1,276Anika105
  9. #1,276Consuelo105
  10. #1,276Cristen105

Tied with 6 names at #1,269; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1984
Risers
  1. ↑ 7,360Kayleigh#8,153 → #793
  2. ↑ 1,675Madison#2,299 → #624
  3. ↑ 1,167Cierra#1,633 → #466
  4. ↑ 1,002Ciera#1,703 → #701
  5. ↑ 787Krystina#1,332 → #545
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,164Grisel#784 → #1,948
  2. ↓ 893Ciji#963 → #1,856
  3. ↓ 419Falon#914 → #1,333
  4. ↓ 364Alesia#969 → #1,333
  5. ↓ 362Echo#845 → #1,207

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

boys

1,848,210 boys got a published name in 1985; 1 in 143 of them was named Charles, which outranked 99.6% of the 7,586 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #31Benjamin13,423
  2. #32Mark13,194
  3. #33Aaron13,137
  4. #34Charles12,900
  5. #35Jacob12,284
  6. #36Stephen12,210
  7. #37Patrick11,638
Biggest movers since 1984
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,425Jaymes#3,270 → #845
  2. ↑ 977Trace#1,933 → #956
  3. ↑ 933Durrell#1,656 → #723
  4. ↑ 793Durell#1,399 → #606
  5. ↑ 562Brandyn#1,444 → #882
Fallers
  1. ↓ 420Anwar#951 → #1,371
  2. ↓ 345Zebulon#976 → #1,321
  3. ↓ 303Tavares#925 → #1,228
  4. ↓ 250Alonso#931 → #1,181
  5. ↓ 228Abdul#1,000 → #1,228

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

See the top 100 for 1985 →