girl's name
Charlotte
SHAR-lət
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 742,529
the United States
#2
2025 births
Charlotte is a girl's name of French origin meaning "free man," the feminine form of Charles, itself from the Germanic name Karl. European royal families have used it since the seventeenth century, including Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort to Britain's George III.
- Charlotte is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 13,408 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 247 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Charlotte over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,311 |
| 1890s | 4,771 |
| 1900s | 6,199 |
| 1910s | 22,599 |
| 1920s | 35,824 |
| 1930s | 34,772 |
| 1940s | 49,646 |
| 1950s | 37,077 |
| 1960s | 24,306 |
| 1970s | 12,534 |
| 1980s | 8,511 |
| 1990s | 9,696 |
| 2000s | 24,271 |
| 2010s | 102,567 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 78,120 |
What Charlotte means
Charlotte means "free man," inherited from Charles and ultimately from the Germanic element karl, the same root that gives English the word "churl," originally meaning a free peasant rather than an insult. Some sources gloss the name as "army" or "warrior," reflecting a related but less certain Germanic root.
Where Charlotte comes from
Charlotte developed in France as a diminutive of Charlotte's male counterpart Charles, which came from the Germanic Karl. The Proto-Germanic root karlaz meant a free man or common person, as opposed to a noble — the same root that produced the English word "churl." The name spread across European royal houses from the sixteenth century onward, most notably through the House of Hanover: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became queen consort of Great Britain in 1761 upon marrying George III, and the American city of Charlotte, North Carolina, was named in her honor in 1768. The name crossed into England from France and Germany largely through these royal connections.
Charlotte in use
Charlotte, North Carolina remains one of the few major US cities directly named after a British queen.
How popular is Charlotte?
In 2025, Charlotte was given to 13,408 babies in the United States, ranking #2 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Charlotte is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Charlotte
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Charlotte also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Charlotte over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
8 nicknames for Charlotte
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Charlotte in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Charlotte
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Charlotte — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Charlotte
What does the name Charlotte mean?
Charlotte means "free man," from the Germanic Karl via the French Charles.
Is Charlotte a royal name?
Yes. Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort to George III, brought the name into wide use in Britain in the eighteenth century.
What are nicknames for Charlotte?
Charlie, Lottie, and Char are the most common short forms.
How popular is the name Charlotte?
In 2025, Charlotte was given to 13,408 babies in the United States, ranking #2 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Charlotte a girl's or a boy's name?
Charlotte is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Charlotte?
Charlotte has 2 syllables.
When was Charlotte most popular?
Charlotte peaked in 2025, when 13,408 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Charlotte a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Charlotte currently ranks #2 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.