Boy name
Charles
Charles holds the #48 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular boy names in the U.S. That amounts to 5,898 newborn boys in a single year. Its position has barely moved over the past five years — a sign of steady, established appeal. Its strongest year on record was 1880 (#4 nationally, 5,348 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1880. The name's biggest fan base is in District of Columbia (#7 there in 2025).
Rankings
2025 rank
#48
among boy names
Trend
Stable
last 5 years
All-time peak
#4
in 1880 (1880s)
Babies in 2025
5,898
boys named Charles
Charles popularity, 1880–2025
Where Charles is most popular
Share of boys born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: District of Columbia (#7), Vermont (#16), Alaska (#11)
Uniqueness score
13/ 100Ultra popular
everywhereone of a kind
You'll meet plenty of them — a true chart-topper. Based on how many babies per birth were named Charles in the most recent year of SSA data.