Charles

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Charles

Gender: Masculine
Language: English and French
Etymology:
Charles is a French and English form of an Old Germanic name, Karl. It comes from the word “ceorl,” which means “man.”

History:
Charles became very popular in the royal families of France and Germany after the reign of Charlemagne (Charles the Great). Although it crossed into England with the Normans, Charles did not become popular until the 17th century when King Charles I Stuart ascended the throne.

The Stuarts were the royal family of Scotland, and had many ties to France, a country where the name Charles had traditionally been much more popular).

Charles became very popular in the 19th century.

Pronunciation: charlz

Diminutives:
Czech: Karlícek, Karlík.
English: Charley, Charlie, Charly, Chas, Chaz, Chuck, Chuckie, Chuckey, Chucky.
Finnish: Kalle, Kal.
French: Charlot.
Polish: Lolek.
Swedish: Kalle.

Alternates: Carey, Karlman.
Catalan: Carles.
Czech: Karel, Kares.
Danish: Karl.
Dutch: Karel.
English: Carl, Carle, Carrol, Carroll.
Finnish: Kaarle, Kaarl, Kaarlo.
French: Carolos, Charle, Charlon, Chasles.
German: Karl, Carlin, Karle.
German (Low): Kerl, Kehrl, Keerl.
Hawaiian: Kala, Kaloka, Kale.
Hungarian: Károly, Karolyi.
Irish: Carolan, Séarlas.
Italian: Carlo, Caroli, Carlesi, Carlisi, Carlesso.
Latin: Carolus.
Polish: Karul, Karol.
Portuguese: Carlos.
Scandinavian: Karl.
Scottish Gaelic: Tearlach, Turlough.
Spanish: Carlos.
Swedish: Karl, Carl.
Welsh: Siarl.

Surnames: Karsyn.
Dutch: Carlens.
English: Cale, Carlson, Charleson, Charleston.
Flemish: Carlens.
French: Charle, Charlon, Carle, Chasles, Chasle.
Irish: Carson.
Italian: De Carlo, De Carli, Di Carlo, De Carolis.
Norwegian: Karlsen, Carlsen.
Polish: Karlowicz, Karolak, Karolczak.
Scottish: McCarlish.
Swedish: Karlsson, Carlsson.

Feminine: See Charla.

See also: Carl, Carlton, Carlos, Carroll, Charlie (Charley), Karl.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Charles, duc d’ Orléans (1394-1465)
French poet.
Carel van Mander (1548-1606)
Dutch painter.
Carlo Dolci (1616-1686)
Italian painter.
Karel Dujardin (1622-1678)
Dutch painter.
Charles Perrault (1628-1703)
French poet and author of fairy stories.
Charles Cotton (1630-1687)
English poet.
Charles de La Fosse (1636-1716)
French artist.
Carle Vernet (1758-1836)
French painter.
Károly Kisfaludy (1788-1830)
Hungarian dramatist.
Charles Wolfe (1791-1823)
Irish poet.
Karel Hynek Mácha (1810-1836)
Czech poet.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
English novelist.
Charles Harpur (1813-1868)
Australian poet.
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)
English author and writer.
Karel Havlícek Borovsk (1821-1856)
Czech novelist.
Charles Samuel Keene (1823-1891)
English artist.
Charles de Coster (1827-1879)
Belgian novelist.
Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932)
American novelist.
Sir Charles Roberts (1860-1943)
Canadian poet.
Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944)
American artist.
Karol Irzykowski (1873-1944)
Polish novelist.
Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz (1878-1947)
Swiss novelist.
Karel van de Woestijne (1878-1929)
Flemish poet.
Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)
Polish composer.
Charles Demuth (1883-1935)
American painter.
Charles Griffes (1884-1920)
American composer.
Karel Capek (1890-1938)
Czech novelist.
Carlo Emilio Gadda (1893-1973)
Italian essayist.
Charles Langbridge Morgan (1894-1958)
English novelist.
Carlo Levi (1902-1975)
Italian writer.
Charles Addams (1912-1988)
American cartoonist.
Karel Appel (1921-)
Dutch painter.
Charles M. Sculz (1922-2000)
American cartoonist.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Charles Chauncy (1592-1672)
Second president of Harvard College.
Charles Inglis (1734-1816)
Canadian educator and clergyman.
Charles Lamb (1775-1834)
English essayist.
Charles-Adolphe Wurtz (1817-1884)
French educator.
Charles Eliot Norton (1827-1908)
American scholar.
Charles Rockwell Lanman (1850-1941)
American scholar of Sanskrit.
Charles McLean Andrews (1863-1943)
American historian.
Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)
American sociologist.
Charles Beard (1874-1948)
American historian.

Fictional Characters:
Chuckie
A demonic doll from a series of horror movies.

Miscellaneous:
Carlo Maria Buonaparte (1746-1785)
Father of Napoleon.
Sir Charles Napier (1786-1860)
Called “Mad Charley.” An Admiral during the Crimean War.
Charles Boycott (1832-1897)
Irish politician against whom a “boycott” was organized, giving English that word.
Charles Tyson Yerkes (1837-1905)
American financier.
Kaarlo Bergbom (1843-1906)
Finnish language advocate.
Karel Doorman (1889-1942)
Dutch admiral during World War II.
Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974)
American aviator.
Carlo Gambino (1902-1976)
Crime boss of New York City.
Károly Takács (1910-1976)
Hungarian athlete.
Charles O. Finley (1918-1996)
Owner of the Oakland Athletics.
Chuck Noll (1932-)
American football player.

Political Figures:
Charles Fouquet, Duc de Belle-Isle (1684-1761)
French statesman.
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1746-1825)
American diplomat. Involved in the XYZ Affair.
Carlo Poerio (1803-1867)
Italian revolutionary.
Charles-Albert Gobat (1834-1914)
Swiss politician.
Charles Warren Fairbanks (1852-1918)
United States vice president from 1905 to 1909.
Charles, comte de Broqueville (1860-1940)
Belgian statesman during World War I.
Charles G. Dawes (1865-1951)
American diplomat. Co-winner of the 1925 Nobel Prize for Peace.
Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg (1865-1952)
First president of Finland.
Carlo, Conte Sforza (1873-1952)
Italian diplomat.
Charles de Galle (1890-1970)
French statesman.
Károly Grosz (1930-1996)
Hungarian communist leader.

Religious Figures:
Saint Charles Borromeo (Italian: San Carlo Borromeo) (1538-1584)
A figure in the Counter-Reformation.
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Co-founder (with his brother, John) of Methodism.

Royalty:
Charles Martel (688-741)
Charles the Hammer. Reunited and ruled the Frankish lands.
King Charles II of France (823-877)
Called Charles the Bald (French: Charles le Chauve). Holy Roman Emperor.
King Charles of Provence (?-863)
First king of Provence.
Charles III (839-888)
Frankish king. Last ruler of the Empire of Charlemagne.
King Charles III of France (879-929)
Called Charles the Simple (French: Charles le Simple).
King Charles II of Naples (1254-1309)
Called Charles of Anjou (Italian: Carlo D’Angio), or Charles the Lame (Italian: Carlo Lo Zoppo).
Charles III of Valois (1270-1325)
Count of Valois. Son of King Philip III of France. Uncle to King Louis X of France, King Philip V of France, and King Charles IV of France. Father to King Philip VI of France.
King Charles I of Hungary (1288-1342)
Enriched his country.
King Charles IV of France (1294-1328)
Called Charles the Fair.
Charles II of Navarre (1332-1387)
Called Charles the Bad (Spanish: Carlos el Malo).
King Charles V of France (1338-1380)
Called Charles the Wise (French: Charles le Sage).
King Charles III Naples (1345-1386)
Also King Charles II of Hungary. Charles of Durazzo (Italian Carlo di Durazzo, Hungarian: Károly Durrazzói).
King Charles III of Navarre (1361-1425)
Called Charles the Noble (Spanish: Carlos el Noble).
King Charles VI of France (1368-1422)
Called Charles the Well-Beloved (French: Charles le Bien-Aimé) or Charles the Mad (French: Charles L’Insense).
King Charles VII of France (1403-1461)
Called Charles the Well-Served (French: Charles le Bien-Servi).
Charles V (1500-1558)
Holy Roman Emperor. King of Spain (Charles I of Spain), Archduke of Austria (Charles I of Austria).
King Charles IX of Sweden (1550-1611)
Affixed the Lutheran religion to Sweden.
King Charles IX of France (1550-1574)
Authorized the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of Protestants in 1572.
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy (1562-1630)
Called Charles Emmanuel the Great (Italian: Carlo Emanuele il Grande).
King Charles I of Great Britain (1600-1649)
Tried and executed by Parliament.
King Charles X Gustav of Sweden (1622-1660)
Conducted the First Northern War.
King Charles II of Great Britain (1630-1685)
Invited by Parliament to rule after the failure of the Commonwealth.
King Charles XI of Sweden (1655-1697)
Established an absolute monarchy.
King Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718)
Promoted domestic reforms and fought against Russia.
Charles VI (1685-1740)
Holy Roman Emperor. King Charles III of Spain (pretender). Archduke Charles III of Austria and Charles III of Hungary.
King Charles III of Spain (1716-1788)
Also King Charles VII of Naples.
King Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819)
Son of King Charles III.
King Charles X of France (1757-1836)
Deposed.
Charles XIV John of Sweden (1763-1844)
Elected to his throne. (Swedish: Karl Johan).
King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont (1798-1849)
Called Carlo Alberto in Italian. His country helped unite Italy.
Charles, Prince of Wales (1948-)
Heir to the British throne.

Scientists:
Charles De Geer (1720-1778)
Swiss entomologist.
Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806)
French physicist.
Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875)
English physicist.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
British naturalist and advocate of his theory of evolution.
Charles Richter (1850-1935)
French physiologist. Winner of the 1913 Nobel Prize for Medicine of Physiology.
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952)
English physiologist. Co-winner of the 1932 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
Charles Édouard Guillaume (1861-1938)
French physicist. Winner of the 1920 Nobel Prize for Physics.
Charles-Jules-Henri Nicolle (1866-1936)
French bacteriologist. Winner of the 1928 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
Sir Charles V. Boys (1855-1944)
English physicist.
Charles Farby (1867-1945)
French physicist.
Charles Glover Barkla (1877-1944)
British physicist. Winner of the 1917 Nobel Prize for Physics.
Charles H. Best (1899-1978)
American physiologist.
Charles Elton (1900-1991)
English biologist.
Charles Francis Richter (1900-1985)
French physicist. The Richter scale is named for him.
Charles B. Huggins (1901-1997)
Canadian-American surgeon. Co-winner of the 1966 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
Charles J. Pedersen (1904-1989)
American chemist. Co-winner of the 1987 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
Charles Hard Townes (1915-)
American physicist. Co-winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize for Physics.
Carlo Rubbia (1934-)
Italian physicist. Co-winner of the 1984 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Singers and Entertainers:
Charles Macklin (1690-1797)
Irish actor.
Charles Boyer (1897-1978)
French-American actor.
Charles Laughton (1899-1962)
English-American actor.
Charles Brown (1922-1999)
American blues singer and songwriter.
Charles Bronson (1922-)
American actor.
Chuck Berry (1926-)
American rock and roll singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
1.523 % named Charles
0.346 % named Carl
0.229 % named Carlos
0.090 % named Charlie
0.069 % named Karl
0.037 % named Carlton
0.016 % named Chuck
0.009 % named Charley
0.009 % named Carlo
0.006 % named Carol
0.004 % named Chas

Popularity of Charles:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 13th most popular.
1850: 6th most popular.
1875: 3rd most popular.
1880: 3rd most popular.
1881: 3rd most popular.
1882: 3rd most popular.
1883: 3rd most popular.
1884: 4th most popular.
1885: 3rd most popular.
1886: 5th most popular.
1887: 4th most popular.
1888: 6th most popular.
1889: 5th most popular.
1890: 5th most popular.
1891: 6th most popular.
1892: 6th most popular.
1893: 5th most popular.
1894: 6th most popular.
1895: 6th most popular.
1896: 7th most popular.
1897: 6th most popular.
1898: 6th most popular.
1899: 6th most popular.
1900: 5th most popular.
1901: 6th most popular.
1902: 6th most popular.
1903: 6th most popular.
1904: 6th most popular.
1905: 5th most popular.
1906: 6th most popular.
1907: 5th most popular.
1908: 6th most popular.
1909: 7th most popular.
1910: 6th most popular.
1911: 5th most popular.
1912: 7th most popular.
1913: 6th most popular.
1914: 7th most popular.
1915: 6th most popular.
1916: 5th most popular.
1917: 7th most popular.
1918: 6th most popular.
1919: 5th most popular.
1920: 6th most popular.
1921: 6th most popular.
1922: 6th most popular.
1923: 5th most popular.
1924: 5th most popular.
1925: 5th most popular.
1926: 5th most popular.
1927: 5th most popular.
1928: 5th most popular.
1929: 5th most popular.
1930: 6th most popular.
1931: 6th most popular.
1932: 5th most popular.
1933: 7th most popular.
1934: 6th most popular.
1935: 6th most popular.
1936: 7th most popular.
1937: 7th most popular.
1938: 6th most popular.
1939: 6th most popular.
1940: 6th most popular.
1941: 6th most popular.
1942: 6th most popular.
1943: 7th most popular.
1944: 7th most popular.
1945: 8th most popular.
1946: 8th most popular.
1947: 9th most popular.
1948: 9th most popular.
1949: 9th most popular.
1950: 9th most popular.
1951: 9th most popular.
1952: 9th most popular.
1953: 10th most popular.
1954: N/A
1955: 10th most popular.
1956: N/A
1957: N/A
1958: 10th most popular.
1959: N/A
1960-1970: 17th most popular.
1970-1980: 23rd most popular.
1980-1990: 34th most popular.
1990: 39th most popular.
1991: 39th most popular.
1992: 43rd most popular.
1993: 44th most popular.
1994: 44th most popular.
1995: 44th most popular.
1996: 46th most popular.
1997: 51st most popular.
1998: 50th most popular.
1999: 52nd most popular.
2000: 52nd most popular.
2001: 58th most popular.
2002: 59th most popular.
2003: 59th most popular.

In France...
1900: 7th most popular.
1910: 14th most popular.
1920: 18th most popular.
1930: 27th most popular.
1940: 35th most popular.
1950: 54th most popular.
1960: 75th most popular.
1970: 108th most popular.
1980: 89th most popular.
1990: 65th most popular.
2000: 69th most popular.

Popularity of Chuck:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 844th most popular.
1940-1950: 441st most popular.
1950-1960: 378th most popular.
1960-1970: 306th most popular.
1970-1980: 634th most popular.
1980-2000: N/A

Popularity of Carlo:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 642nd most popular.
1910-1920: 549th most popular.
1920-1930: 550th most popular.
1930-1940: 657th most popular.
1940-1950: 836th most popular.
1950-1960: 834th most popular.
1960-1970: 733rd most popular.
1970-1980: 623rd most popular.
1980-1990: 741st most popular.
1990: 810th most popular.
1991: 827th most popular.
1992: 878th most popular.
1993: 857th most popular.
1994: 857th most popular.
1995: 877th most popular.
1996: 858th most popular.
1997: 852nd most popular.
1998: 990th most popular.
1999: 969th most popular.
2000: 891st most popular.
2001: 909th most popular.
2002: 916th most popular.
2003: 902nd most popular.