Given name & surname
Carl
“a free man”
In German and English use, Carl has a related form in Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Original GermanKarl
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Carl carries the interpretation “a free man.” In German and English use, Carl has a related form in Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
Carl is used as a form of Karl.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carl through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 508,017
- 504,827 boys · 3,190 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 8,345 babies
- 2025
- 187
- #1,134 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −39%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 187 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,134 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 39.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,313 in 1956. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (14). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 243,430 as a first name in 2020; 10,555 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carl’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Carl has a diminutive in CALLE. In English usage, Carl shares a linguistic root with Charles. Carl has a related form in Carol.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Carl has relatives in 43 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 30
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Karlvariant · German, Swedish
- Carlivariant · German
- Carlosvariant · Spanish, English
- Carlovariant · Italian, English
- Carolvariant
- Carlinvariant
- Carlensvariant
- Callediminutive · Swedish
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Carolosvariant
- Caryllvariant
- Carylvariant
- Carollvariant
- Carrolvariant
- Carolusvariant · Latin
- Carrollvariant
- Carlisvariant
- Carlenvariant
- Carolyvariant
- Carrelvariant
- Carlevariant
- Carlanvariant
- Carelvariant
- Carlllikely variant
- Carrllikely variant
- Karolusvariant · Latin
- Caloydiminutive · Tagalog
- Carlysvariant
- Caarlovariant
- Caarlvariant
- Carlitisvariant
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 36
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Charlescognate · English, French
- Carlyfeminine form · English
- Carlafeminine form
- KarolPolish, Slovak
- KarloEsperanto
- KarelCzech
- Kaarloequivalent
- Charelequivalent
Show 28 moreShow fewer
- Karolisequivalent
- Carlesequivalent
- Károlyequivalent
- Carlsen“son of” surname · Danish
- 卡爾borrowing · Chinese
- ΚάρολοςGreek
- Charlezequivalent
- Siarlequivalent
- Kaarleequivalent
- קאַרלYiddish
- کارلUrdu, Persian
- КарлUkrainian, Tajik
- คาร์ลThai
- కార్ల్Telugu
- கார்ல்Tamil
- कार्लMarathi, Hindi
- KārlsLatvian
- 칼Korean
- កាល់Khmer
- カールJapanese
- カルJapanese
- קרלHebrew
- ΚάρλοςGreek
- კარლიGeorgian
- কার্লBengali
- ԿարլArmenian
- كَارْلArabic
- KërlAlbanian
People named Carl
- Carl LinnaeusSwedish botanist, physician, and zoologist (1707–1778); developed the foundations of modern taxonomy
- Carl SaganAmerican astrophysicist, cosmologist and author (1934–1996)
- Carl BenzGerman automotive and engine designer and manufacturer (1844–1929)
- Carl von ClausewitzGerman-Prussian general and military theorist (1780–1831)
- Carl XVI GustafKing of Sweden since 1973born 1946
- Carl SpittelerSwiss writer (1845–1924)
- Carl ReinerAmerican actor1922–2020
- Carl Gustaf Emil MannerheimFinnish military leader and statesman (1867–1951)
- Carl SandburgAmerican writer and editor (1878–1967)
Characters named Carl: Carl Johnson (protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas), Carl Carlson (the The Simpsons franchise), Carl Grimes (The Walking Dead), Carl Hamilton.
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carl, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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