Carl

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Carl

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Carl is the English form of Karl, based on the old Germanic word “ceorl,” which means “man” or “free man.”

History:
Carl, an Anglicized version of Karl, became especially popular in the United States during the late 19th century.

The German name Karl was introduced to the United States by German and Scandinavian immigrants of the early to mid-19th century (Karl was a popular name in 19th century Germany and Scandinavia). In its new American form of Carl, the name became quite popular.

A Dictionary of First Names (Hanks and Hodges, 1990) says it is “particularly popular in Wales” and claims it is an “old-fashioned German spelling.”

It remained one of the most popular names in the U.S. throughout most of the twentieth century.

Please see Charles for more information.

Pronunciation: carl.

Alternates: Carle.

Surnames: Carlson, Carlsen, Carleson.

Feminine: Carla.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885)
German painter.
Carl Sagan (1934-1996)
American astronomer and science fiction writer.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Carl Meinhof (1857-1944)
German scholar and linguist.

Miscellaneous:
Carl Hubbell (1903-1988)
American baseball player.

Political Figures:
Carl Severing (1875-1952)
German politician during the Weimar years.
Carl Burton Stokes (1927-1996)
Mayor of Cleveland from 1967 to 1971.

Religious Figures:
Carl Mau (1922-1995)
American Lutheran leader.

Royalty:
Carl XVI Gustaf (1946-)
King of Sweden.

Scientists:
Carl Gustaf Mosander (1797-1858)
Swedish chemist.
Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987)
American psychologist.
Carl Sagan (1934-1996)
American astronomer and science fiction writer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.346 % named Carl

Popularity of Carl:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 120th most popular.
1875: 66th most popular.
1880: 42nd most popular.
1881: 41st most popular.
1882: 35th most popular.
1883: 32nd most popular.
1884: 36th most popular.
1885: 34th most popular.
1886: 32nd most popular.
1887: 28th most popular.
1888: 29th most popular.
1889: 27th most popular.
1890: 27th most popular.
1891: 24th most popular.
1892: 25th most popular.
1893: 24th most popular.
1894: 22nd most popular.
1895: 22nd most popular.
1896: 25th most popular.
1897: 25th most popular.
1898: 24th most popular.
1899: 25th most popular.
1900: 29th most popular.
1901: 24th most popular.
1902: 24th most popular.
1903: 23rd most popular.
1904: 25th most popular.
1905: 26th most popular.
1906: 27th most popular.
1907: 27th most popular.
1908: 28th most popular.
1909: 25th most popular.
1910: 26th most popular.
1911: 26th most popular.
1912: 24th most popular.
1913: 23rd most popular.
1914: 24th most popular.
1915: 22nd most popular.
1916: 23rd most popular.
1917: 24th most popular.
1918: 25th most popular.
1919: 29th most popular.
1920: 27th most popular.
1921: 30th most popular.
1922: 30th most popular.
1923: 28th most popular.
1924: 27th most popular.
1925: 28th most popular.
1926: 26th most popular.
1927: 26th most popular.
1928: 28th most popular.
1929: 28th most popular.
1930: 26th most popular.
1931: 28th most popular.
1932: 28th most popular.
1933: 28th most popular.
1934: 28th most popular.
1935: 28th most popular.
1936: 27th most popular.
1937: 28th most popular.
1938: 29th most popular.
1939: 30th most popular.
1940: 32nd most popular.
1941: 28th most popular.
1942: 36th most popular.
1943: 33rd most popular.
1944: 36th most popular.
1945: 39th most popular.
1946: 39th most popular.
1947: 39th most popular.
1948: 42nd most popular.
1949: 43rd most popular.
1950: 44th most popular.
1951: 43rd most popular.
1952: 45th most popular.
1953: 44th most popular.
1954: 47th most popular.
1955: 47th most popular.
1956: 48th most popular.
1957: 49th most popular.
1958: 51st most popular.
1959: 54th most popular.
1960: 43rd most popular.
1961: 56th most popular.
1962: 58th most popular.
1963: 54th most popular.
1964: 55th most popular.
1965: 54th most popular.
1966: 56th most popular.
1967: 57th most popular.
1968: 60th most popular.
1969: 62nd most popular.
1970: 66th most popular.
1971: 73rd most popular.
1972: 85th most popular.
1973: 90th most popular.
1974: 89th most popular.
1975: 91st most popular.
1976: 95th most popular.
1977: 99th most popular.
1978: 100th most popular.
1979: 100th most popular.
1980: 102nd most popular.
1981: 106th most popular.
1982: 104th most popular.
1983: 106th most popular.
1984: 108th most popular.
1985: 112th most popular.
1986: 114th most popular.
1987: 126th most popular.
1988: 126th most popular.
1989: 135th most popular.
1990: 153rd most popular.
1991: 173rd most popular.
1992: 188th most popular.
1993: 202nd most popular.
1994: 211th most popular.
1995: 218th most popular.
1996: 246th most popular.
1997: 254th most popular.
1998: 261st most popular.
1999: 294th most popular.
2000: 306th most popular.
2001: 319th most popular.
2002: 350th most popular.
2003: 357th most popular.
2004: 369th most popular.

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)