Charlie
Charlie is a traditionally masculine given name in English-speaking countries, often a nickname for Charles, but is now used as a unisex name. It is also used as a surname.
Meaning & Origin of Charlie
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Charlie is a traditionally masculine given name in English-speaking countries, often a nickname for Charles, but is now used as a unisex name. It is also used as a surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Charlie
As a girl name
Charlie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1881, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 2,340 Charlies were born — ranking #123 that year. As of 2026, Charlie ranks #136 for girls with 2,147 births, gradually rising (+7%). In total, more than 42K Charlies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Charlie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 730 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1919, when 2,891 Charlies were born — ranking #66 that year. As of 2026, Charlie ranks #166 for boys with 2,165 births, gradually rising (+15%). In total, more than 186K Charlies 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 Charlie
Phonetically similar names — useful when Charlie 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 Charlie
What does the name Charlie mean?
How popular is Charlie in 2026?
When was Charlie most popular?
In which U.S. states is Charlie most popular?
Is Charlie a unisex name?
What names go well with Charlie?
About the name Charlie
Charlie is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 186K births in the dataset. Charlie's peak popularity came in 1919 when it ranked #20. Use the chart and map above to compare Charlie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1919 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- 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.