Charlie
A pet form of Charles, which descends from the Germanic Karl, free man. It has long been given on its own to both boys and girls.
Charlie in 2025
Charlie was given to 4,620 babies in the United States in 2025 — 2,460 boys and 2,160 girls, making it the 122nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 718 babies born.
The history of Charlie
Charlie reached its highest point in 2025, when 4,620 babies were given the name, ranking 122nd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 51st, in 1880.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 224,639 babies have been named Charlie. Half of them were born before 1950, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Charlie by decade
| Decade | Babies named Charlie | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 7,174 | 51 |
| 1890s | 7,445 | 85 |
| 1900s | 8,275 | 90 |
| 1910s | 20,972 | 112 |
| 1920s | 27,007 | 164 |
| 1930s | 20,645 | 197 |
| 1940s | 19,475 | 246 |
| 1950s | 16,055 | 312 |
| 1960s | 10,387 | 459 |
| 1970s | 6,745 | 589 |
| 1980s | 6,274 | 643 |
| 1990s | 6,129 | 758 |
| 2000s | 11,077 | 403 |
| 2010s | 31,009 | 164 |
| 2020s | 25,970 | 122 |
Where Charlie is heading
Charlie has risen 43% over the past decade, from 3,236 babies in 2015 to 4,620 in 2025.
Names like Charlie
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Charlie.