Charlie
A unisex given name. A diminutive of the male given name Charles; also used as a formal given name.
Every Charlie since 1880 — 224,639 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Charlie
Charlie is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #145 in 2025 with 2,460 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 224,639 American babies have been named Charlie — about 82% boys and 18% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 4,620 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Charlie stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Charlie 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 | 2,160 | #133 | 2,460 | #145 |
| 2024 | 2,113 | #140 | 2,094 | #176 |
| 2023 | 2,245 | #125 | 2,104 | #174 |
| 2022 | 2,341 | #123 | 2,110 | #178 |
| 2021 | 2,223 | #127 | 2,009 | #188 |
| 2020 | 2,239 | #122 | 1,872 | #204 |
| 2019 | 2,087 | #132 | 1,832 | #211 |
| 2018 | 1,851 | #153 | 1,730 | #218 |
| 2017 | 1,913 | #155 | 1,793 | #213 |
| 2016 | 1,767 | #185 | 1,711 | #227 |
| 2015 | 1,562 | #207 | 1,674 | #231 |
| 2014 | 1,439 | #230 | 1,696 | #225 |
| 2013 | 1,327 | #241 | 1,565 | #233 |
| 2012 | 1,045 | #306 | 1,537 | #233 |
| 2011 | 856 | #375 | 1,521 | #236 |
| 2010 | 672 | #459 | 1,431 | #245 |
| 2009 | 490 | #617 | 1,255 | #274 |
| 2008 | 406 | #736 | 1,090 | #306 |
| 2007 | 367 | #786 | 956 | #334 |
| 2006 | 355 | #777 | 931 | #337 |
| 2005 | 257 | #959 | 934 | #329 |
| 2004 | 223 | #1,038 | 812 | #350 |
| 2003 | 175 | #1,213 | 709 | #368 |
| 2002 | 170 | #1,199 | 599 | #416 |
| 2001 | 138 | #1,379 | 553 | #439 |
| 2000 | 129 | #1,427 | 528 | #450 |
| 1995 | 118 | #1,393 | 510 | #447 |
| 1990 | 120 | #1,334 | 537 | #423 |
| 1985 | 79 | #1,536 | 549 | #343 |
| 1980 | 71 | #1,624 | 596 | #322 |
| 1975 | 25 | #2,891 | 565 | #315 |
| 1970 | 21 | #3,124 | 768 | #273 |
| 1965 | 28 | #2,255 | 964 | #236 |
| 1960 | 45 | #1,673 | 1,247 | #221 |
| 1955 | 71 | #1,187 | 1,437 | #184 |
| 1950 | 102 | #877 | 1,678 | #151 |
| 1945 | 111 | #708 | 1,725 | #128 |
| 1940 | 134 | #602 | 1,762 | #111 |
| 1935 | 128 | #565 | 1,926 | #100 |
| 1930 | 179 | #498 | 2,113 | #91 |
| 1925 | 182 | #529 | 2,578 | #78 |
| 1920 | 197 | #491 | 2,785 | #70 |
| 1915 | 126 | #576 | 2,193 | #75 |
| 1910 | 65 | #504 | 1,107 | #34 |
| 1905 | 39 | #557 | 801 | #34 |
| 1900 | 27 | #691 | 1,124 | #25 |
| 1895 | 17 | #775 | 767 | #27 |
| 1890 | 12 | #794 | 797 | #21 |
| 1885 | 9 | #753 | 705 | #23 |
| 1880 | — | — | 730 | #21 |
Famous people named Charlie
- Charlie Chaplin Actor · 1889–1977
- Charlie Parker Musician · 1920–1955
- Charlie Watts Musician · b. 1941
- Charlie Sheen Actor · b. 1965
- Charlie Wilson Military personnel · 1933–2010
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Charlie mean?
A unisex given name. A diminutive of the male given name Charles; also used as a formal given name.
How popular is the name Charlie in 2025?
Charlie ranked #145 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,460 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Charlie?
224,639 babies have been named Charlie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Charlie most popular?
Charlie peaked in 2025, when 4,620 newborns received the name.
Is Charlie a boy or girl name?
Charlie is used for both: about 18% of babies named Charlie have been girls and 82% boys.
Is the name Charlie rising or falling?
Charlie is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Charlie?
Well-known people named Charlie include Charlie Chaplin (actor), Charlie Parker (musician), Charlie Watts (musician).