Given name & surname
Charleston
“from the free man's town”
Charleston is a variant of Charlton. One English interpretation is “from the free man's town.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Charleston is a variant of Charlton. One English interpretation is “from the free man's town.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Charleston is a variant of Charlton. An origin associated with Charlton is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Charleston is a variant of Charlton. The history of Charlton gives this family its wider story. Charlton’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Charleston through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,813
- 2,508 boys · 1,305 girls
- Most popular year
- 2015
- 343 babies
- 2025
- 89
- #3,261 for girls · #3,003 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −40%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 40% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 48 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,261 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 45.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 255 in 2015. It also appeared in 41 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, South Carolina and Tennessee shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,538 as a first name in 2020; 3,157 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.
Charleston’s family of names
Charleston has a related form in Charlton.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Charleston, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ellington
“eel” · “belonging to”
34% boys · 66% girls
Channing
“an offficial of the church” · “resembling a young wolf”
65% boys · 35% girls
Payson
Payson is a surname.
50% boys · 50% girls
Tennyson
“son of Dennis”
61% boys · 39% girls
An
“one who is peaceful”
42% boys · 58% girls
Aly
“the son of a noble” · “the great one; one who is exalted”
26% boys · 74% girls
Arie
“resembling a lion or an eagle”
36% boys · 64% girls
Larkin
“a pretty young woman” · “one who is fierce”
40% boys · 60% girls