Fun Facts About the Name Karl
- More than 101 thousand babies named Karl: U.S. records list 101,755 babies given the name Karl from 1880 through 2025. Even 915 girls received the name Karl - about 1 girl for every 110 boys.
What Does the Name Karl Mean?
Karl is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It comes from the common Germanic noun *karlaz, meaning 'free man' or 'man,' which appears in Old High German as karl ('man, husband, free man'). The name is the German and Scandinavian form of the name that Latin sources render as Carolus and that English knows as Charles. Its literal sense is a free man, a person of free status rather than a slave or dependent. The further origin of *karlaz before Germanic is uncertain, so the established meaning rests on the Germanic noun.
Karl Name History & Origins
The personal name grew out of the same Germanic word that named a free man. In the early medieval Frankish lands, the name appears in Latin as Carolus in the names of Charles Martel (c. 688 - 741) and his grandson Charlemagne (747 - 814), known in German as Karl der Große and in Latin as Carolus Magnus. Their use of the name linked it to the Carolingian dynasty, whose Latin name Carolus comes from the same Germanic source.
In Scandinavia, the Old Norse noun karl meant 'man' or 'free man,' and Karl was used as both a byname and a given name. The German and Scandinavian Karl corresponds to Charles in English and French, Carlos in Spanish, and Carlo in Italian. In English, Karl is used alongside the English form Charles, and it often reflects German or Scandinavian family background.
How Popular is the Name Karl?
Karl recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1960. Its best rank was #135 in 1960.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #9,091 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #12,217 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #12,057 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #5,967 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #3,952 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1987 | #3,791 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1986 | #3,161 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1985 | #2,970 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1984 | #3,461 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1983 | #2,940 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1982 | #3,212 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1981 | #3,175 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1980 | #3,452 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1979 | #3,709 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1978 | #3,435 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1977 | #3,111 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1976 | #2,899 | 26 | 0.0018% |
| 1975 | #2,910 | 25 | 0.0017% |
| 1974 | #2,791 | 26 | 0.0018% |
| 1973 | #2,376 | 32 | 0.0022% |
| 1972 | #2,705 | 26 | 0.0017% |
| 1971 | #3,000 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1970 | #2,980 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1969 | #2,076 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1968 | #2,745 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1967 | #2,237 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1966 | #2,886 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1965 | #2,874 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1964 | #3,045 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1963 | #2,580 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1962 | #2,698 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1961 | #3,119 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1960 | #2,774 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1959 | #2,708 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1958 | #3,296 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1957 | #5,728 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,244 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1955 | #4,946 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #4,593 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1947 | #5,008 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1943 | #5,010 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #4,977 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1936 | #4,533 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1934 | #4,055 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #4,541 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #3,680 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1930 | #3,860 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1929 | #3,867 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #3,601 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #3,719 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #4,219 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #5,468 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1919 | #4,045 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #3,410 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1915 | #4,012 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,593 | 107 | 0.0063% |
| 2024 | #1,688 | 99 | 0.0058% |
| 2023 | #1,687 | 101 | 0.0059% |
| 2022 | #1,430 | 128 | 0.0073% |
| 2021 | #1,535 | 115 | 0.0066% |
| 2020 | #1,569 | 104 | 0.0060% |
| 2019 | #1,290 | 144 | 0.0080% |
| 2018 | #1,288 | 143 | 0.0079% |
| 2017 | #1,289 | 141 | 0.0076% |
| 2016 | #1,152 | 167 | 0.0088% |
| 2015 | #1,074 | 184 | 0.0096% |
| 2014 | #1,148 | 165 | 0.0086% |
| 2013 | #1,099 | 169 | 0.0089% |
| 2012 | #1,138 | 161 | 0.0085% |
| 2011 | #1,084 | 172 | 0.0091% |
| 2010 | #1,089 | 177 | 0.0092% |
| 2009 | #967 | 207 | 0.0104% |
| 2008 | #1,020 | 188 | 0.0092% |
| 2007 | #860 | 242 | 0.0117% |
| 2006 | #771 | 270 | 0.0131% |
| 2005 | #752 | 265 | 0.0133% |
| 2004 | #695 | 281 | 0.0142% |
| 2003 | #664 | 299 | 0.0151% |
| 2002 | #609 | 330 | 0.0170% |
| 2001 | #580 | 351 | 0.0181% |
| 2000 | #564 | 366 | 0.0186% |
| 1999 | #534 | 389 | 0.0203% |
| 1998 | #482 | 455 | 0.0238% |
| 1997 | #459 | 483 | 0.0256% |
| 1996 | #447 | 504 | 0.0266% |
| 1995 | #392 | 598 | 0.0314% |
| 1994 | #382 | 612 | 0.0317% |
| 1993 | #357 | 662 | 0.0338% |
| 1992 | #336 | 738 | 0.0369% |
| 1991 | #317 | 811 | 0.0401% |
| 1990 | #295 | 858 | 0.0418% |
| 1989 | #273 | 908 | 0.0454% |
| 1988 | #274 | 843 | 0.0440% |
| 1987 | #260 | 853 | 0.0457% |
| 1986 | #248 | 903 | 0.0490% |
| 1985 | #242 | 961 | 0.0520% |
| 1984 | #245 | 895 | 0.0496% |
| 1983 | #242 | 912 | 0.0509% |
| 1982 | #240 | 974 | 0.0537% |
| 1981 | #226 | 1,062 | 0.0593% |
| 1980 | #225 | 1,059 | 0.0594% |
| 1979 | #234 | 959 | 0.0557% |
| 1978 | #232 | 900 | 0.0548% |
| 1977 | #230 | 941 | 0.0573% |
| 1976 | #234 | 868 | 0.0553% |
| 1975 | #226 | 904 | 0.0579% |
| 1974 | #214 | 1,004 | 0.0638% |
| 1973 | #219 | 986 | 0.0633% |
| 1972 | #199 | 1,167 | 0.0720% |
| 1971 | #191 | 1,323 | 0.0748% |
| 1970 | #177 | 1,576 | 0.0848% |
| 1969 | #180 | 1,566 | 0.0876% |
| 1968 | #168 | 1,599 | 0.0920% |
| 1967 | #159 | 1,695 | 0.0972% |
| 1966 | #158 | 1,792 | 0.1005% |
| 1965 | #154 | 2,021 | 0.1086% |
| 1964 | #135 | 2,402 | 0.1205% |
| 1963 | #136 | 2,513 | 0.1237% |
| 1962 | #142 | 2,456 | 0.1187% |
| 1961 | #138 | 2,545 | 0.1198% |
| 1960 | #135 | 2,594 | 0.1217% |
| 1959 | #148 | 2,355 | 0.1103% |
| 1958 | #146 | 2,348 | 0.1106% |
| 1957 | #146 | 2,338 | 0.1084% |
| 1956 | #150 | 2,058 | 0.0973% |
| 1955 | #149 | 1,936 | 0.0940% |
| 1954 | #166 | 1,736 | 0.0851% |
| 1953 | #163 | 1,653 | 0.0838% |
| 1952 | #170 | 1,564 | 0.0805% |
| 1951 | #175 | 1,439 | 0.0764% |
| 1950 | #172 | 1,304 | 0.0728% |
| 1949 | #172 | 1,321 | 0.0745% |
| 1948 | #179 | 1,187 | 0.0677% |
| 1947 | #184 | 1,119 | 0.0612% |
| 1946 | #185 | 998 | 0.0615% |
| 1945 | #197 | 758 | 0.0563% |
| 1944 | #186 | 837 | 0.0614% |
| 1943 | #182 | 907 | 0.0635% |
| 1942 | #179 | 878 | 0.0636% |
| 1941 | #178 | 864 | 0.0703% |
| 1940 | #174 | 855 | 0.0738% |
| 1939 | #171 | 866 | 0.0782% |
| 1938 | #162 | 985 | 0.0888% |
| 1937 | #162 | 907 | 0.0850% |
| 1936 | #166 | 830 | 0.0800% |
| 1935 | #171 | 812 | 0.0780% |
| 1934 | #186 | 689 | 0.0667% |
| 1933 | #181 | 681 | 0.0687% |
| 1932 | #193 | 670 | 0.0642% |
| 1931 | #204 | 635 | 0.0611% |
| 1930 | #206 | 648 | 0.0591% |
| 1929 | #207 | 637 | 0.0592% |
| 1928 | #219 | 599 | 0.0541% |
| 1927 | #211 | 630 | 0.0559% |
| 1926 | #226 | 595 | 0.0536% |
| 1925 | #225 | 589 | 0.0528% |
| 1924 | #233 | 584 | 0.0516% |
| 1923 | #235 | 565 | 0.0515% |
| 1922 | #246 | 527 | 0.0484% |
| 1921 | #233 | 573 | 0.0520% |
| 1920 | #245 | 502 | 0.0472% |
| 1919 | #234 | 515 | 0.0525% |
| 1918 | #209 | 600 | 0.0592% |
| 1917 | #181 | 673 | 0.0727% |
| 1916 | #176 | 685 | 0.0770% |
| 1915 | #160 | 715 | 0.0843% |
| 1914 | #161 | 548 | 0.0837% |
| 1913 | #177 | 387 | 0.0755% |
| 1912 | #182 | 323 | 0.0751% |
| 1911 | #195 | 156 | 0.0690% |
| 1910 | #252 | 92 | 0.0474% |
| 1909 | #211 | 102 | 0.0622% |
| 1908 | #210 | 97 | 0.0628% |
| 1907 | #214 | 89 | 0.0606% |
| 1906 | #169 | 108 | 0.0811% |
| 1905 | #243 | 65 | 0.0491% |
| 1904 | #230 | 67 | 0.0523% |
| 1903 | #213 | 70 | 0.0587% |
| 1902 | #223 | 65 | 0.0530% |
| 1901 | #235 | 54 | 0.0507% |
| 1900 | #231 | 75 | 0.0498% |
| 1899 | #239 | 49 | 0.0461% |
| 1898 | #241 | 53 | 0.0432% |
| 1897 | #233 | 57 | 0.0506% |
| 1896 | #234 | 60 | 0.0502% |
| 1895 | #211 | 67 | 0.0571% |
| 1894 | #201 | 73 | 0.0631% |
| 1893 | #216 | 63 | 0.0561% |
| 1892 | #231 | 59 | 0.0483% |
| 1891 | #203 | 61 | 0.0603% |
| 1890 | #248 | 47 | 0.0423% |
| 1889 | #229 | 50 | 0.0452% |
| 1888 | #207 | 71 | 0.0587% |
| 1887 | #224 | 49 | 0.0483% |
| 1886 | #249 | 48 | 0.0433% |
| 1885 | #249 | 44 | 0.0408% |
| 1884 | #298 | 34 | 0.0297% |
| 1883 | #287 | 33 | 0.0315% |
| 1882 | #272 | 40 | 0.0352% |
| 1881 | #299 | 29 | 0.0288% |
| 1880 | #377 | 21 | 0.0190% |
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.
