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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201979peak #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 1979

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #38 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 131 boysAKMaine: #39 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 138 boysMEVermont: #37 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 106 boysVTNew Hampshire: #42 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 146 boysNHWashington: #41 for boys · 195 births · 1 in 152 boysWAIdaho: #49 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 183 boysIDMontana: #41 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 138 boysMTNorth Dakota: #56 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 204 boysNDMinnesota: #41 for boys · 213 births · 1 in 146 boysMNIllinois: #30 for boys · 695 births · 1 in 121 boysILWisconsin: #41 for boys · 217 births · 1 in 159 boysWIMichigan: #34 for boys · 543 births · 1 in 123 boysMINew York: #32 for boys · 806 births · 1 in 138 boysNYMassachusetts: #38 for boys · 237 births · 1 in 143 boysMARhode Island: #38 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 129 boysRIOregon: #39 for boys · 120 births · 1 in 161 boysORNevada: #29 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 101 boysNVWyoming: #27 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 89 boysWYSouth Dakota: #48 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 183 boysSDIowa: #46 for boys · 111 births · 1 in 200 boysIAIndiana: #30 for boys · 403 births · 1 in 102 boysINOhio: #31 for boys · 846 births · 1 in 95 boysOHPennsylvania: #31 for boys · 722 births · 1 in 105 boysPANew Jersey: #33 for boys · 326 births · 1 in 130 boysNJConnecticut: #38 for boys · 118 births · 1 in 147 boysCTCalifornia: #38 for boys · 1,008 births · 1 in 178 boysCAUtah: #54 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 211 boysUTColorado: #40 for boys · 147 births · 1 in 148 boysCONebraska: #54 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 206 boysNEMissouri: #26 for boys · 385 births · 1 in 95 boysMOKentucky: #14 for boys · 434 births · 1 in 65 boysKYWest Virginia: #15 for boys · 235 births · 1 in 59 boysWVVirginia: #18 for boys · 423 births · 1 in 79 boysVAMaryland: #16 for boys · 310 births · 1 in 73 boysMDDelaware: #16 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 63 boysDEArizona: #36 for boys · 154 births · 1 in 136 boysAZNew Mexico: #38 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 149 boysNMKansas: #35 for boys · 143 births · 1 in 118 boysKSArkansas: #13 for boys · 226 births · 1 in 71 boysARTennessee: #13 for boys · 520 births · 1 in 63 boysTNNorth Carolina: #16 for boys · 525 births · 1 in 72 boysNCSouth Carolina: #11 for boys · 320 births · 1 in 66 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #15 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 70 boysDCOklahoma: #21 for boys · 236 births · 1 in 90 boysOKLouisiana: #13 for boys · 425 births · 1 in 82 boysLAMississippi: #9 for boys · 301 births · 1 in 63 boysMSAlabama: #14 for boys · 373 births · 1 in 72 boysALGeorgia: #13 for boys · 575 births · 1 in 68 boysGAHawaii: #39 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 157 boysHITexas: #21 for boys · 1,036 births · 1 in 119 boysTXFlorida: #16 for boys · 627 births · 1 in 87 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Mississippi#9 · 1 in 63
  2. South Carolina#11 · 1 in 66
  3. Tennessee#13 · 1 in 63
  4. Georgia#13 · 1 in 68
  5. Arkansas#13 · 1 in 71

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#93011 in 63
South Carolina#113201 in 66
Arkansas#132261 in 71
Georgia#135751 in 68
Louisiana#134251 in 82
Tennessee#135201 in 63
Alabama#143731 in 72
Kentucky#144341 in 65
District of Columbia#151131 in 70
West Virginia#152351 in 59
Delaware#16591 in 63
Florida#166271 in 87
Maryland#163101 in 73
North Carolina#165251 in 72
Virginia#184231 in 79
Oklahoma#212361 in 90
Texas#211,0361 in 119
Missouri#263851 in 95
Wyoming#27401 in 89
Nevada#29491 in 101
Illinois#306951 in 121
Indiana#304031 in 102
Ohio#318461 in 95
Pennsylvania#317221 in 105
New York#328061 in 138
New Jersey#333261 in 130
Michigan#345431 in 123
Kansas#351431 in 118
Arizona#361541 in 136
Vermont#37291 in 106
Alaska#38271 in 131
California#381,0081 in 178
Connecticut#381181 in 147
Massachusetts#382371 in 143
New Mexico#38691 in 149
Rhode Island#38411 in 129
Hawaii#39411 in 157
Maine#39521 in 138
Oregon#391201 in 161
Colorado#401471 in 148
Minnesota#412131 in 146
Montana#41421 in 138
Washington#411951 in 152
Wisconsin#412171 in 159
New Hampshire#42391 in 146
Iowa#461111 in 200
South Dakota#48291 in 183
Idaho#49461 in 183
Nebraska#54581 in 206
Utah#54901 in 211
North Dakota#56271 in 204

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 1979

girls
#1,061
130 births · 1 in 12,348 girls
boys
#28
14,806 births · 1 in 116 boys

Top girls' names in 1979

  1. #1Jennifer56,712
  2. #2Melissa34,050
  3. #3Amanda31,924
  4. #4Jessica27,780
  5. #5Amy21,609
  6. #6Sarah21,015
  7. #7Heather20,834
  8. #8Angela20,256
  9. #9Nicole19,510
  10. #10Michelle19,266
  11. #1,061Charles130

Top boys' names in 1979

  1. #1Michael67,713
  2. #2Christopher50,659
  3. #3Jason50,369
  4. #4David42,053
  5. #5James39,351
  6. #6Matthew35,621
  7. #7John35,410
  8. #8Robert34,015
  9. #9Joshua31,120
  10. #10Brian28,659
  11. #28Charles14,806
More about 1979

girls

1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 12,348 of them was named Charles, which outranked 91.1% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #1,056Melodie131
  2. #1,056Shemeka131
  3. #1,056Stephany131
  4. #1,061Charles130
  5. #1,061Caren130
  6. #1,061Cheyenne130
  7. #1,061Clare130
  8. #1,069Ayanna129
  9. #1,069Christiana129
  10. #1,069Mandie129

Tied with 7 names at #1,061; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,593Breanne#2,125 → #532
  2. ↑ 1,527Loni#2,516 → #989
  3. ↑ 1,287Renata#2,012 → #725
  4. ↑ 985Ashanti#1,862 → #877
  5. ↑ 896Nicolette#1,581 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 392Christel#762 → #1,154
  2. ↓ 312Kenisha#557 → #869
  3. ↓ 297Ariane#887 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 285Imelda#947 → #1,232
  5. ↓ 252Farrah#539 → #791

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

boys

1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 116 of them was named Charles, which outranked 99.6% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Charles
  1. #25Richard16,713
  2. #26Thomas16,454
  3. #27Steven16,331
  4. #28Charles14,806
  5. #29Scott14,440
  6. #30Mark14,386
  7. #31Jonathan14,331
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,228Tyrel#2,134 → #906
  2. ↑ 471Jace#1,186 → #715
  3. ↑ 387Chaz#1,371 → #984
  4. ↑ 311Tyrell#1,051 → #740
  5. ↑ 308Frederic#1,203 → #895
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,230Dequan#927 → #2,157
  2. ↓ 641Rahsaan#869 → #1,510
  3. ↓ 446Chip#989 → #1,435
  4. ↓ 308Rashaun#996 → #1,304
  5. ↓ 307Kenya#749 → #1,056

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

See the top 100 for 1979 →