Charlie Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Charlie is used for both girls and boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Charlie?
Charlie is spelled C-H-A-R-L-I-E. The name has 7 letters.
Charlie at a Glance
- Usage
- Used for both girls and boys
- Meaning
- Charlie is a diminutive form of Charles, which means “free man” in Germanic origins.
- Origin
- Charlie is commonly used as a pet form of Charles, a name of Germanic origin.
- Pronunciation
- CHAR-lee · 2 syllables
Charlie Popularity in 2025
Rank#133
Recorded Births2,160
Rank#145
Recorded Births2,460
- Girls usage rose 7 places to #133 and recorded 47 more births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 31 places to #145 and recorded 366 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Charlie Mean?
Charlie is a diminutive form of Charles, which means “free man” in Germanic origins.
Origin: Charlie is commonly used as a pet form of Charles, a name of Germanic origin.
How Do You Pronounce Charlie?
PronunciationCHAR-lee
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Charlie?
- History
- Charlie has been used as an informal given name and nickname for Charles for many centuries, appearing in various English-language records.
Charlie Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 2,160 | #133 |
| 2025 | Boys | 2,460 | #145 |
| 2024 | Girls | 2,113 | #140 |
| 2024 | Boys | 2,094 | #176 |
| 2023 | Girls | 2,245 | #125 |
| 2023 | Boys | 2,104 | #174 |
| 2022 | Girls | 2,341 | #123 |
| 2022 | Boys | 2,110 | #178 |
| 2021 | Girls | 2,223 | #127 |
| 2021 | Boys | 2,009 | #188 |
| 2020 | Girls | 2,239 | #122 |
| 2020 | Boys | 1,872 | #204 |
| 2019 | Girls | 2,087 | #132 |
| 2019 | Boys | 1,832 | #211 |
| 2018 | Girls | 1,851 | #153 |
| 2018 | Boys | 1,730 | #218 |
| 2017 | Girls | 1,913 | #155 |
| 2017 | Boys | 1,793 | #213 |
| 2016 | Girls | 1,767 | #185 |
| 2016 | Boys | 1,711 | #227 |
| 2015 | Girls | 1,562 | #207 |
| 2015 | Boys | 1,674 | #231 |
| 2014 | Girls | 1,439 | #230 |
| 2014 | Boys | 1,696 | #225 |
When Was Charlie Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1919 · Boys
2,891 recorded births
National rank #66
1920 · Boys
2,785 recorded births
National rank #70
1918 · Boys
2,743 recorded births
National rank #70
1922 · Boys
2,655 recorded births
National rank #72
Where Charlie Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| VT | #49 | 8 |
| ME | #50 | 16 |
| HI | #54 | 11 |
| MT | #62 | 13 |
| OK | #66 | 45 |
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| VT | #57 | 8 |
| MN | #64 | 87 |
| UT | #72 | 63 |
| WY | #72 | 6 |
| SD | #77 | 15 |
| MA | #82 | 86 |
| AK | #85 | 9 |