Karl vs Charles

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Karl

Boy #1,684 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"free man, strong man"

Origin: Old High German

German Scandinavian Austrian Swedish Norwegian

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Boy #51 Most Popular 2 Syllables

"free man"

Origin: Germanic

English French German Spanish Italian

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Karl Rank #1,684

Charles Rank #51

Charles is more popular, ranked #51 vs #1684 for Karl.

Is Karl or Charles more popular?

Charles is more popular, ranked #51 compared to Karl at #1684 in the United States.

What do Karl and Charles mean?

Karl means "free man, strong man" (Old High German origin). Charles means "free man" (Germanic origin).

Are Karl and Charles boy or girl names?

Karl is primarily a boy name. Charles is primarily a boy name.