Boy name · Germanic
Carl
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: free manCarl is a boy's name that comes from Germanic and means "free man". It is used in English, German and Scandinavian.
- Meaning
- Free man
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #1134 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Carl
As a boy's name, Carl comes from Germanic and means "free man". It is used in English, German and Scandinavian.
Carl is also a surname: the 3,339th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 10,555 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Carl on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Carl on 4 lists.
“For a serious cat who takes his naps seriously”
From Boy cat names, human names for boy cats
“A no-nonsense name for a dog with strict routines”
From Boy dog names, human names for boy dogs
“Free man; Germanic. Shared with scientists Linnaeus and Jung”
From Classic boy names, short one-syllable classic boy names
“Free man; Germanic. Shared with astronomer Sagan”
From Old man names, short and sturdy old guy names
How popular is Carl?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,134
- 187 babies, 109 per million boys
- Best rank
- #22 in 1894
- Most babies: 8,313 in 1956
- Babies since 1880
- At least 504,827
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 4,772 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 7,053 per million |
| 1900s | 7,267 per million |
| 1910s | 7,259 per million |
| 1920s | 6,339 per million |
| 1930s | 6,318 per million |
| 1940s | 4,886 per million |
| 1950s | 3,895 per million |
| 1960s | 3,156 per million |
| 1970s | 1,899 per million |
| 1980s | 1,380 per million |
| 1990s | 754 per million |
| 2000s | 361 per million |
| 2010s | 225 per million |
| 2020s | 134 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #605 | #628 | #701 | #748 | #813 | #922 | #1,013 | #964 | #1,032 | #1,134 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Carl
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Carl
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- CyrilLordly (Greek, boy)
- CadeFrom a surname from an Old English nickname meaning round (Old English, boy)
- CahalBattle ruler (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CanSoul, life (Persian, boy)
- CashBox maker (Norman French, boy)
- CatoWise (Latin, boy)
- CauãHawk, falcon (Tupi, boy)
- CiarBlack, dark (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- ClarkCleric, scribe (Old English, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- CharlotteFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- CarlaFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- CarolineFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- CarolinaFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- CharleneFree man (Germanic, girl)
- LottaFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- LotteFree man, feminine of Charles (Germanic, girl)
- AzadFree (Persian, boy)
- AzadehFree, noble (Persian, girl)
- Carlos AlbertoFree man, noble and bright (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Carl
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Germanic
- HugoHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
- LiamShort for William, will helmet (Germanic, boy)
- RobertBright fame (Germanic, boy)
- LambertBright land (Germanic, boy)
- LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- AlaricRuler of all (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertoNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- ArmandoArmy man (Germanic, boy)
- ArnoEagle (Germanic, boy)
Carl: common questions
What does the name Carl mean?
Carl comes from Germanic and means "free man".
Is Carl a boy or girl name?
Carl is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Carl come from?
Carl comes from Germanic and means "free man". Today it is used in English, German and Scandinavian.
How popular is the name Carl?
Carl ranked #1,134 in the US in 2025, with 187 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Carl?
Forms of Carl with the same meaning and origin include Carlo (Italian), Carlos (Spanish), Charles (English), Charlie (English) and Kale (Hawaiian).
What middle names go with Carl?
Middle names that flow well with Carl include Elton, Ethan, Heath, James and Jeremiah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.