Charlotte

At a Glance

Meaning

Feminine diminutive of Charles, sharing its root meaning 'free man' (popularly softened to 'free woman')

Origin

French

Gender

Used for both boys and girls

Pronunciation

SHAR-lutListen

Charlotte is the French feminine diminutive of Charles. You'll often see it claimed that Charlotte means 'free woman,' but that's a softened, feminized gloss rather than the literal history — the root it shares with Charles actually means 'free man.' Worth knowing if you're picking the name partly for its meaning.

Meaning & Origin of Charlotte

Meaning: Feminine diminutive of Charles, sharing its root meaning 'free man' (popularly softened to 'free woman').

Origin: French.

A common claim: Charlotte is widely said to mean 'free woman.' Actually: That's a feminized folk gloss, not the literal etymology — the root Charlotte shares with Charles literally means 'free man,' not 'free woman.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Charlotte

Popularity of Charlotte

Charlotte ranked #4 among U.S. baby girls in 2024 with 12,552 babies given the name, just off its peak of #3 in 2021 when 13,362 girls were named Charlotte, according to Social Security data spanning 1880-2024.

Names Like Charlotte

These names have followed a similar path to Charlotte in U.S. popularity over the years.

• Theodore
• Amelia
• Mia
• Henry
• Mateo
• Elijah

FAQ

What does the name Charlotte mean?

Feminine diminutive of Charles, sharing its root meaning ‘free man’ (popularly softened to ‘free woman’). (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Charlotte?

Charlotte is pronounced SHAR-lut (IPA: /ˈʃɑːrlət/).

Is Charlotte a popular name right now?

Charlotte peaked at #3 in 2021 and is ranked #4 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Charlotte Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Charlotte, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.