Carl vs Van

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Carl

Boy #1,035 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"free man"

Origin: Old High German 'karl'

English American German Scandinavian

✓ All Clear

Boy #909 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"of, from (Dutch)"

Origin: Dutch

Dutch Vietnamese American Belgian

✓ All Clear

Carl Rank #1,035

Van Rank #909

Van is more popular, ranked #909 vs #1035 for Carl.

Is Carl or Van more popular?

Van is more popular, ranked #909 compared to Carl at #1035 in the United States.

What do Carl and Van mean?

Carl means "free man" (Old High German 'karl' origin). Van means "of, from (Dutch)" (Dutch origin).

Are Carl and Van boy or girl names?

Carl is primarily a boy name. Van is primarily a boy name.