Charley
Charley is an English unisex given name and a surname. As an English given name, it is a diminutive form of Charles and a feminine form of Charlie. Notable people known by this name include the following:
Meaning & Origin of Charley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Charley is an English unisex given name and a surname. As an English given name, it is a diminutive form of Charles and a feminine form of Charlie. Notable people known by this name include the following:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Charley
As a girl name
Charley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1901, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 641 Charleys were born — ranking #489 that year. As of 2026, Charley ranks #826 for girls with 329 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 12K Charleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Charley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 305 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 485 Charleys were born — ranking #249 that year. As of 2026, Charley ranks #1,789 for boys with 92 births, holding steady (+1%). In total, more than 24K Charleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Charley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Charley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Charley
What does the name Charley mean?
How popular is Charley in 2026?
When was Charley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Charley most popular?
Is Charley a unisex name?
What names go well with Charley?
About the name Charley
Charley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 24K births in the dataset. Charley's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #58. Use the chart and map above to compare Charley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.