Charlene
A feminine form of Charles coined in the nineteenth century.
Every Charlene since 1888 — 134,111 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Charlene
Charlene is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,948 in 2025 with 99 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 134,111 American babies have been named Charlene. Its peak came in 1952, when 3,557 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Charlene stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Charlene year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 99 | #1,948 | — | — |
| 2024 | 115 | #1,753 | — | — |
| 2023 | 102 | #1,935 | — | — |
| 2022 | 111 | #1,829 | — | — |
| 2021 | 114 | #1,780 | — | — |
| 2020 | 119 | #1,704 | — | — |
| 2019 | 111 | #1,834 | — | — |
| 2018 | 112 | #1,818 | — | — |
| 2017 | 153 | #1,467 | — | — |
| 2016 | 147 | #1,534 | — | — |
| 2015 | 146 | #1,533 | — | — |
| 2014 | 159 | #1,427 | — | — |
| 2013 | 116 | #1,766 | — | — |
| 2012 | 134 | #1,613 | — | — |
| 2011 | 134 | #1,612 | — | — |
| 2010 | 136 | #1,598 | — | — |
| 2009 | 142 | #1,584 | — | — |
| 2008 | 153 | #1,521 | — | — |
| 2007 | 182 | #1,334 | — | — |
| 2006 | 190 | #1,261 | — | — |
| 2005 | 178 | #1,262 | — | — |
| 2004 | 202 | #1,128 | — | — |
| 2003 | 165 | #1,267 | — | — |
| 2002 | 170 | #1,198 | — | — |
| 2001 | 168 | #1,212 | — | — |
| 2000 | 191 | #1,082 | — | — |
| 1995 | 310 | #686 | — | — |
| 1990 | 659 | #395 | 5 | #8,317 |
| 1985 | 902 | #277 | — | — |
| 1980 | 1,070 | #240 | — | — |
| 1975 | 1,073 | #226 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,983 | #167 | 7 | #3,907 |
| 1965 | 2,590 | #142 | 10 | #2,643 |
| 1960 | 2,894 | #148 | 13 | #2,332 |
| 1955 | 3,301 | #130 | 13 | #2,230 |
| 1950 | 3,448 | #103 | — | — |
| 1945 | 2,388 | #114 | 11 | #2,150 |
| 1940 | 1,686 | #145 | 6 | #3,188 |
| 1935 | 1,395 | #146 | 10 | #2,413 |
| 1930 | 987 | #195 | — | — |
| 1925 | 587 | #274 | — | — |
| 1920 | 294 | #383 | — | — |
| 1915 | 133 | #556 | — | — |
| 1910 | 31 | #772 | — | — |
| 1905 | 13 | #1,065 | — | — |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,763 | — | — |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,323 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Charlene
- Charlene, Princess of Monaco Nobleman · b. 1978
- Charlene Tilton Actor · b. 1958
- Charlene Choi Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Charlene mean?
A feminine form of Charles coined in the nineteenth century.
How popular is the name Charlene in 2025?
Charlene ranked #1,948 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 99 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Charlene?
134,111 babies have been named Charlene in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Charlene most popular?
Charlene peaked in 1952, when 3,557 newborns received the name.
Is Charlene a boy or girl name?
Charlene is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Charlene rising or falling?
Charlene is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Charlene?
Well-known people named Charlene include Charlene, Princess of Monaco (nobleman), Charlene Tilton (actor), Charlene Choi (actor).