Charles sits comfortably in the UK charts at #119 in 2025 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
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UK Rank 2025
#119
US Rank #48
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About the Name Charles
Charles is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 31 places over five years. Its high point was #41 in 1998, and it now sits at #119. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 26 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
Charles is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Charles in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #51, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Charles
Charles Duke — Charles Moss Duke Jr. is an American former astronaut, United States Air Force (USAF) officer and test pilot who, as Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, became the 10th and youngest person to walk on the Moon, at age 36 years and 201 days.
Charles III — Charles III is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Charles
Unlikely. With around 437 UK babies named Charles per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Charles in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Charles has been fairly steady, ranked #119 in 2025 against #88 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #41 in 1998.
Charles is more popular in the US (#51) than in the UK (#119). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Charles include: Charles Duke, Charles III and Charles Moore, Baron Moore of Etchingham. Short summaries for each appear below.
Charles ranks #51 in the US (2024), making it comfortably inside the American top 100. It's well-liked on both sides of the Atlantic.
437
UK babies named Charles (2025)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.2
In a school of 600
↓ 31 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Charles
Almost certainly the only Charles in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Charles
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Charles Moss Duke Jr. is an American former astronaut, United States Air Force (USAF) officer and test pilot who, as Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, became the 10th and youngest person to walk on the Moon, at age 36 years and 201 days.
Charles II was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles V was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, King of Sicily and Naples from 1516 to 1554, and also Lord of the Netherlands and titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) from 1506 to 1555.
Charles Atlas was an Italian-born American bodybuilder best remembered as the developer of a bodybuilding method and its associated exercise program which spawned a landmark advertising campaign featuring his name and likeness; it has been described as one of the longest-lasting and most memorable ad campaigns of all time.