Carlos
Carlos was the 150th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,418 babies. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked 59th; the most babies were born in 2001 (6,842). Over the last ten years it has moved down 32 places. More babies were named Carlos in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning man, free man (Spanish form of Charles) · Spanish, Germanic
Say it KAR-lohs /ˈkɑrloʊs/
- Rank in 2025
- #150 boys, down 1 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,418boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20016,842 babies
- Total since 1880
- 309,076babies recorded
What does the name Carlos mean?
Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles. DMNES traces Charles to the Germanic word karl, 'man', related to Old English ceorl, 'free man', and credits Charlemagne (Charles the Great) with spreading the name. Wikipedia lists many kings of Spain and Portugal named Carlos. Karl, Carlo and Carl are its German, Italian and Scandinavian relatives, and Wiktionary calls Carlos, Carl, Charles and Karl doublets of one another. Carla and Carlota are feminine forms.
karl (Old High German, “man”)ċeorl (Old English, “free man”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Charles, Carl, Karl, Carlo, Carla, Carlitos.
See also: Germanic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Carlos', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Charles', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wikipedia, 'Carlos (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Carlos
The usual nicknames for Carlos are Carlitos.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlitos | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Carloss go by each one.
Carlos popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 2,040 since 1913.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #150 | 2,418 |
| 2020 | #149 | 2,480 |
| 2010 | #89 | 4,591 |
| 2000 | #66 | 6,322 |
| 1990 | #75 | 5,213 |
| 1980 | #78 | 4,084 |
| 1970 | #98 | 3,380 |
| 1960 | #167 | 1,993 |
| 1950 | #188 | 1,189 |
| 1940 | #201 | 659 |
| 1930 | #222 | 578 |
| 1920 | #267 | 421 |
| 1910 | #271 | 82 |
| 1900 | #360 | 37 |
| 1890 | #439 | 17 |
| 1880 | #428 | 17 |
How popular is Carlos, counting every spelling?
Carlos is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #163 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #150 for Carlos on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,439 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos | 2,418 | #150 | 12,701 |
| Karlos | 21 | #4,795 | 145 |
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 Carlos?
2,418 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Carlos (0.67 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Carlos 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 3 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Carlos.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Carlos?
About 270,800 people born in the US named Carlos are alive today, with a median age of 31; half are between 19 and 46. That makes Carlos mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
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.
Carlos by state
How common Carlos was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (2.6×), Arizona (2.6×), Texas (2.3×), California (1.8×), District of Columbia (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Carlos: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Carlos, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Carlos · Sibling names for Carlos
Questions about the name Carlos
What does Carlos mean?
Carlos means “man, free man (Spanish form of Charles)” (Spanish, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Carlos?
Carlos was the 150th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,418 babies. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked 59th; the most babies were born in 2001 (6,842). Over the last ten years it has moved down 32 places. More babies were named Carlos in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Carlos a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Carlos in the US.
Where is Carlos most popular?
In 2021–2025, Carlos was most common in New Mexico (3.88 per 1,000 boys), followed by Arizona and Texas.