Given name & surname
Karlos
“a free man”
Karlos is a variant of Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Karlos is a variant of Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Karlos is a variant of Karl. An origin associated with Karl is German.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1942. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Karlos through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,018
- 2,018 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 50 babies
- 2025
- 21
- #4,795 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 21 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,795 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 8.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 50 in 2005. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,652 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.
Karlos’s family of names
Karlos has a related form in Karl. In Greek usage, Karlos as a surname is a transliteration of Κάρλος.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Karlos
- Karlos NasarBulgarian weightlifterborn 2004
- Karlos ArguiñanoSpanish chef, businessman, writer and television presenterborn 1948
- Karlos DansbyAmerican football player, linebackerborn 1981
- Charles of NavarreInfante of Navarre (1510-1528)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Karlos, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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