Carlo
Carlo was the 869th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 276 babies. Its best year was 1923, when it ranked 470th; the most babies were born in 2025 (276). Over the last ten years it has moved up 387 places. More babies were named Carlo in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning man, free man (Italian Charles) · Germanic, Italian
Say it KAR-loh /ˈkɑrloʊ/
- Rank in 2025
- #869 boys, up 457 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 276boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025276 babies
- Total since 1880
- 16,000babies recorded
What does the name Carlo mean?
Carlo is the Italian form of Charles, as Wiktionary and Wikipedia note. Charles comes through Latin Carolus from the Germanic word karl, which DMNES glosses "man"; the related Old English ceorl meant "freeman". Charlemagne made the name royal across Europe. Carlo is also used as a short form of Spanish Carlos.
karl (Old High German, “man”)Carolus (Latin, “Charles”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Charles, Carlos, Carl, Carlino.
See also: Germanic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Carlo', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Carlo (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Charles', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
Carlo popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 80 since 1962.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #869 | 276 |
| 2020 | #1,326 | 135 |
| 2010 | #1,040 | 187 |
| 2000 | #902 | 172 |
| 1990 | #835 | 151 |
| 1980 | #662 | 170 |
| 1970 | #619 | 172 |
| 1960 | #697 | 127 |
| 1950 | #800 | 72 |
| 1940 | #812 | 59 |
| 1930 | #520 | 132 |
| 1920 | #507 | 143 |
| 1910 | #758 | 16 |
| 1900 | #1,185 | 6 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Carlo, counting every spelling?
Carlo is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #792 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #869 for Carlo on its own. Together these spellings went to 306 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlo | 276 | #869 | 1,067 |
| Karlo | 30 | #3,703 | 160 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Carlo?
276 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Carlo (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Carlo born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 30 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Carlo.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Carlo?
About 11,400 people born in the US named Carlo are alive today, with a median age of 33; half are between 16 and 52. That makes Carlo mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Carlo by state
How common Carlo was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (2.4×), California (1.9×), Pennsylvania (1.9×). In 31 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Carlo: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Carlo, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Carlo · Sibling names for Carlo
Questions about the name Carlo
What does Carlo mean?
Carlo means “man, free man (Italian Charles)” (Germanic, Italian origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Carlo?
Carlo was the 869th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 276 babies. Its best year was 1923, when it ranked 470th; the most babies were born in 2025 (276). Over the last ten years it has moved up 387 places. More babies were named Carlo in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Carlo a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Carlo in the US.
Where is Carlo most popular?
In 2021–2025, Carlo was most common in New Jersey (0.30 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and Pennsylvania.