Given name & surname
Carlito
“a free man”
In Spanish use, Carlito is a diminutive of Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Carlito is a diminutive of Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Spanish use, Carlito is a diminutive of Karl. An origin associated with Karl is German.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Cebuano usage, Carlito is a diminutive of Carlos.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1964. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carlito through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,352
- 1,352 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 92 babies
- 2025
- 21
- #4,731 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −50%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 21 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,731 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 50.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 92 in 2006. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,157 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carlito’s family of names
In Cebuano usage, Carlito is a diminutive of Carlos. In Spanish usage, Carlito has a conventional naming counterpart in the English form Charlie. In Spanish usage, Carlito is a diminutive of Karl.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Carlito has relatives in 5 languages.
4 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Carlito
- Carlito Joaquin CenzonFilipino Roman Catholic bishop (1939-2019)
- PoorstacyAmerican rapper and singer1999–2025
- Carlito Galvez Jr.Philippine military officialborn 1962
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carlito, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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