Boy name · Germanic
Carlos
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: free manCarlos is a boy's name that comes from Germanic and means "free man". It is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
- Meaning
- Free man
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- KAR-lohs (Spanish)
Meaning and origin of Carlos
As a boy's name, Carlos comes from Germanic and means "free man". It is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
In Spanish, say KAR-lohs. In Spanish, say KAR-los. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Carlos is also a surname: the 2,338th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 15,191 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Carlos on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Carlos on 3 lists.
“Free man; Germanic. Spanish form of Charles”
From Classic boy names, classic boy names from around the world
“Man; Germanic. The Spanish Charles. Say KAR-lohs”
From Mexican boy names, classic Mexican male names
“Free man; Germanic. Borne by four kings of Spain. Say KAR-los”
From Spanish boy names, classic male Spanish names
How popular is Carlos?
- US rank in 2025
- #150
- 2,418 babies, 1,416 per million boys
- Best rank
- #59 in 1999
- Most babies: 6,842 in 2001
- Babies since 1880
- At least 307,036
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 191 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 221 per million |
| 1900s | 360 per million |
| 1910s | 316 per million |
| 1920s | 434 per million |
| 1930s | 526 per million |
| 1940s | 544 per million |
| 1950s | 783 per million |
| 1960s | 1,163 per million |
| 1970s | 2,237 per million |
| 1980s | 2,249 per million |
| 1990s | 2,833 per million |
| 2000s | 3,166 per million |
| 2010s | 1,877 per million |
| 2020s | 1,465 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #129 | #134 | #138 | #134 | #149 | #151 | #147 | #139 | #135 | #150 |
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 Carlos
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Carlos
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- CarltonSettlement of free peasants (Old English, boy)
- CarsonFrom a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning (Scots, 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 Carlos
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter 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)
Carlos: common questions
What does the name Carlos mean?
Carlos comes from Germanic and means "free man".
Is Carlos a boy or girl name?
Carlos is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Carlos come from?
Carlos comes from Germanic and means "free man". Today it is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
How do you pronounce Carlos?
In Spanish, say KAR-lohs. In Spanish, say KAR-los. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Carlos?
Carlos ranked #150 in the US in 2025, with 2,418 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Carlos?
Forms of Carlos with the same meaning and origin include Carl (English), Carlo (Italian), Charles (English), Charlie (English) and Kale (Hawaiian).
What middle names go with Carlos?
Middle names that flow well with Carlos include Abel, Asher, Isaac, Lamar and Leo. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.