Fun Facts About the Name Charlemagne
- 59 babies named Charlemagne: U.S. records list 59 babies given the name Charlemagne from 1880 through 2025. Even 6 girls received the name Charlemagne - about 1 girl for every 9 boys.
What Does the Name Charlemagne Mean?
Charlemagne is the French form of the Latin Carolus Magnus, meaning "Charles the Great." Carolus is the Latin rendering of the Germanic personal name that appears in English as Charles; it rests on a Germanic root karl, meaning "free man" (a man who was not a slave or serf). Magnus is simply the Latin adjective for "great" or "large." The two halves therefore come from different languages and different kinds of word: a Germanic personal name joined to a Latin descriptive title. The literal sense is the descriptive phrase "Charles the Great," and this byname, rather than a single inherited name, is what the French form Charlemagne preserves.
Charlemagne Name History & Origins
Charlemagne is first the name of Charles, King of the Franks (747/748 - 814). He became king in 768, took the Lombard kingdom in 774, and was crowned emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome on Christmas Day in 800. Latin writers of his era and afterward called him Carolus Magnus, "Charles the Great," and that byname passed into the vernacular languages in different shapes: Old French Charlemagne, German Karl der Große, Italian Carlo Magno, and Spanish Carlomagno. English took the French form. In French the two words fused into one, with Charles joined to a descendant of Latin magnus.
The emperor became the central figure of a large body of legend - the chansons de geste, of which the Song of Roland is the best known, along with later Italian romances. Those medieval tales elaborately reworked his wars into heroic fiction, and they are literary tradition rather than a record of how the name was actually used by ordinary people.
As a personal first name, Charlemagne is uncommon in English-speaking countries and is used only occasionally, mainly in the United States. It stands apart from Charles, which has a long and continuous history as a common given name; Charlemagne's own use as a first name is rare and largely a modern borrowing of the historical byname rather than a survival of a medieval naming custom.
How Popular is the Name Charlemagne?
Charlemagne has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #5,327 in 1974.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | #15,009 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,376 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #8,411 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #9,922 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #11,032 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #11,021 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #12,406 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #11,065 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #5,327 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Charlemagne Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Charlemagne's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Charlemagne's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.