Charles is a male given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form Charles of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or *karilaz (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "free man". The Old English descendant of this word was Ċearl or Ċeorl, as the name of King Cearl of Mercia, that disappeared after the Norman conquest of England.
The name was notably borne by Charlemagne (Charles the Great), and was at the time Latinized as Karolus (as in Vita Karoli Magni), later also as Carolus.
Etymology The name's etymology is a Common Germanic noun *karilaz meaning "free man", which survives in English as churl (< Old English ċeorl),T. F. Hoad, English Etymology, Oxford University Press, 1993 (). p. 76. which developed its deprecating sense in the Middle English period.
Some Germanic languages, for example Dutch and German, have retained the word in two separate senses. In the particular case of Dutch, Karel refers to the given name, whereas the noun kerel means "a bloke, fellow, man".
In the form Charles, the initial spelling ch- corresponds to the palatalization of the Latin group ca- to [tʃa] in Central Old French (Francien) and the final -s to the former subjective case (cas sujet) of masculine names in Old French like in Giles or James (< Latin -us, see Spanish/ Portuguese Carlos).
According to Julius Pokorny, the historical linguist and Indo-Europeanist, the root meaning of Charles is "old man", from Indo-European *ĝer-, where the ĝ is a palatal consonant, meaning "to rub; to be old; grain." An old man has been worn away and is now grey with age.
In some Slavic languages, the name Drago (and variants: Dragomir, Dragoslav, etc., all based on the root drag 'dear') has been used as an equivalent for Charles (Karel, etc.). This is based on the false etymology deriving Carl from Latin carus 'dear'. Examples are the Slovene politician Karl Deschmann (1821–1889), also known as Dragotin Dežman, and the Slovene historian Dragotin Lončar (1876–1954), baptized Carl.
History
Early Middle Ages The name is atypical for Germanic names as it is not composed of two elements, but simply a noun meaning "(free) man". This meaning of ceorl contrasts with eorl (Old Norse jarl) "nobleman" on one hand and with þeow (Old Norse þræll) "bondsman, slave" on the other. As such it would not seem a likely candidate for the name of a Germanic king, but it is attested as such with Cearl of Mercia (), the first Mercian king mentioned by Bede in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum. It is a peculiarity of the Anglo-Saxon royal names that many of the rulers of the earliest period (6th to 7th centuries) have monothematic (simplex) names, while the standard dithematic names become almost universal from the 8th century. Compare the name of King Mul of Kent (7th century) which simply translates to "mule".
Charles Martel, the son of Pepin of Herstal and Alpaida, was either illegitimate or the product of a bigamous marriage, and therefore indeed a "free man", but not of noble rank. After his victory at the Battle of Soissons (718), Charles Martel styled himself Duke of the Franks. Charles' eldest son was named Carloman (754), a rare example of the element carl- occurring in a compound name. The Chronicle of Fredegar names an earlier Carloman as the father of Pepin of Landen, and thus the great-great-grandfather of the Charles Martel. This would place the name Carloman in the 6th century, and open the possibility that the Frankish name Carl may originate as a short form of Carloman. The only other compound name with the Carl- prefix is Carlofred (Carlefred), attested in the 7th century; as a suffix, it occurs in the rare names Altcarl and Gundecarl (9th and 11th centuries, respectively).E. Förstemann, Altdeutsches Namenbuch (1856), s.v. 'Carl' (303).
Charlemagne (742–814) was Charles Martel's grandson. After Charlemagne's reign, the name became irrevocably connected with him and his Carolingian dynasty. After Charlemagne, the name Charles (Karol) became even the standard word for "king" in Slavic (Czech and Slovak král, Polish król; South Slavic kral крал, krȃlj краљ; Russian король), Baltic (Latvian karalis, Lithuanian karalius) and Hungarian (király).
Charlemagne's son Charles the Younger died without issue, but the name resurfaces repeatedly within the 9th-century Carolingian family tree, so with Charles the Bald (823–877), Charles the Fat (839–888) Charles of Provence (845–863), Charles the Child (847/848–866) and Charles the Simple (879–929).
Later Middle Ages and Early Modern history The name survives into the High Middle Ages (Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine; Charles, Count of Valois; Charles I, Count of Flanders (Charles the Good, beatified in 1882); Charles I of Naples; Charles I of Hungary). Karl Sverkersson was a king of Sweden in the 12th century, counted as "Charles VII" due to a genealogical fiction of the 17th century by Charles "IX", but actually the first king of Sweden with this name.
Charles resurfaces as a royal name in Germany with Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1316–1378, counted as "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Fat) and in France with Charles IV of France (1294–1328, "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Simple), and becomes comparatively widespread in the Late Middle Ages (Charles I, Duke of Savoy, Charles III, Duke of Savoy).
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) gives rise to a tradition of Charlses in Habsburg Spain (Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles II of Spain, Charles III of Spain, Charles IV of Spain).
The numbering scheme for the kings of Sweden was continued in modern times with Charles X Gustav, Charles XI, Charles XII, Charles XIII, Charles XIV John and Charles XV.
Charles I of England (1600–1649) is followed by Charles II of England (1630–1685). The Province of Carolina is named during the rule of Charles II, after Charles I.
Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine (1661–1742).
Modern history Carlism is a political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855), and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread dissatisfaction with the Alfonsine line of the House of Bourbon. The movement was at its strongest in the 1830s, causing the Carlist Wars, and had a revival following Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War in 1898, and lasted until the end of the Franco regime in 1975 as a social and political force
Charles Floyd (1782–1804) was the only casualty in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Charles DeRudio (1832–1910) was an Italian aristocrat, would-be assassin of Napoleon III, and later a career U.S. Army officer who fought in the 7th U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Charles Albert Varnum (1849–1936) was the commander of the scouts in the Little Bighorn Campaign and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in a conflict following the Battle of Wounded Knee. "Lonesome" Charley Reynolds (1842–1876) was a scout in the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment who was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Carl has been a very popular male given name in the United States during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, consistently ranking in the top 30 male given names in the US from 1887 to 1938, and remaining among the top 100 until the 1980s, but since declining below rank 500. Charles has always been among the top 100 names in the U.S. since records started in 1880. In addition, it is among the top 100 names given in England and Wales; the current King of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, Charles III, is a notable bearer of the name. In 2022, it was the 26th most popular name given to boys in Canada.
Derived feminine names Caroline and Charlotte are feminine given names derived from Carl.
Charlotte is late medieval, e.g. Charlotte of Savoy (1441–1483), Charlotte of Cyprus (1444–1487). It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century, and gave rise to hypocorisms such as Lottie, Tottie, Totty.
Caroline is early modern, e.g. Caroline of Ansbach (1683–1737). It has given rise to numerous variations, such as Carlyn, Carolina, Carolyn, Karolyn, Carolin, Karolina, Karoline, Karolina, Carolien, as well as hypocorisms, such as Callie, Carol, Carrie, etc.
Another derived feminine name is Carla (Bulgarian, Catalan, Dutch, English, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish), a name which dates from early Italy.
Regional forms: Carolina (Italian, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Bulgarian) Caroline (English, French, Indonesian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch) Carolyn (English) Carlijn (Dutch) Karoliina (Finnish) Karolina (Bulgarian, Indonesian, Polish, Swedish) Karolína (Czech) Karoline (Danish, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish) Karolina (Каролина) (Russian) Keraleyn (קעראַליין) (Yiddish) Carly (American) Carol (English) Carola (German, Swedish) Carole (English, French, Portuguese) Karol (קאַראָל) (Yiddish) Kyārōla (क्यारोल) (Nepali) Kerol (Керол) (Serbian), (Russian) Charlotte (English, French, German, Swedish, Danish, Dutch) Carlota (Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan) Carlotta (Italian) Charlotta (Swedish) Carla Charla (English) Karla (Bulgarian, German, Indonesian, Scandinavian, Serbian, Czech, Croatian) Карла (Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian) Charlene (given name), Charlène
Regional forms of the name LanguageFormal nameInformal nameArmenian Կարլոս (Karlos) Basque Karlos Bulgarian Карл (Karl) Belarusian Чарльз (Čarĺz) Catalan Carles Chinese 查尔斯 (simplified), 查爾斯 (traditional) (Chá'ěrsī) Croatian Karlo Czech Karel Danish Karl, Carl Dutch Karel English Charles Charlie/Charley, Chuck, Chucky, Chaz/Chas, Chad, ChipEstonian Kaarel, Kaarli, Kaaro, Kalle Faroese Karl Finnish Kaarlo, Kaarle, Kalle, Karl French Charles CharlotGerman Karl, Carl Georgian კარლო (Karlo) Greek Κάρολος (Károlos) Hungarian Károly KarcsiHawaiian Kale Icelandic Karl Indonesian Charles, Carolus Irish Carlus, Séarlas, Cathal Italian Carlo Japanese チャールズ (Chāruzu) Korean 찰스 (chalseu) Latin Carolus Latvian Kārlis Limburgish Sjarel Lithuanian Karolis Norwegian Karl, Carl Polish Karol Portuguese Carlos CarlinhosRomanian Carol Russian Карл (Karl) Scottish Gaelic Teàrlach Serbian Карло (Karlo) Slovak Karol Slovene Karel Spanish Carlos Carlito, Carlitos, Caloy (Philippines)Swedish Karl, Carl, Kalle Welsh Siarl
List of notable people
Media, arts and entertainment In literature Name DescriptionCharles Abreu Cuban composer and pianistCharles Baudelaire French poetCharles Brandt American investigator and writer (1942–2024)Charles Bukowski American poet and novelistCharles Dickens English novelistCharles Dodgson (pen-name Lewis Carroll) English clergyman, writer and mathematicianCharles Dyer (playwright)English playwright, actor and screenwriterCharles Edwards Canadian journalist and news agency executiveCharles Henri Ford American poet, photographer and writerCharles Fort American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomenaCharles L. Grant American science-fiction authorCharles Roger HargreavesChildren's author who wrote the Mr. Men and Little Miss series.Charles "Sis Doc" RichardsonAmerican newspaper editor, founder of Chi OmegaCharles Lewinsky Swiss screenwriter, dramatist and playwrightCharles Lummis American journalist, poet, historian; founder of the Southwest MuseumCharles Mayer Canadian journalist, sportsperson and politicianCharles Olson American poetCharles O'Rear American photographer known for taking BlissCharles Jacobs Peterson American author, editor and publisherCharles G.D. Roberts Canadian poetCharles Webb (author) American author of The Graduate
In music