Carlos
Carlos is a boy's name of Spanish origin.
Meaning
Free man.
Origin and history
Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Germanic name Charles, which fundamentally means 'free man'. It has been a consistently popular name in the United States for over a century due to its strong cultural roots and widespread recognition. Today, it remains a timeless classic across both English- and Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S.
Popularity in the United States
307,036 babies in the United States have been named Carlos since 1880. It ranks #117 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #145.
States where it is most popular
- CA (25.6 %)
- TX (20 %)
- NY (8.4 %)
- FL (5.2 %)
- IL (4.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 209 |
| 1890-1900 | 252 |
| 1900-1910 | 489 |
| 1910-1920 | 2,110 |
| 1920-1930 | 4,785 |
| 1930-1940 | 5,553 |
| 1940-1950 | 8,100 |
| 1950-1960 | 15,821 |
| 1960-1970 | 22,396 |
| 1970-1980 | 36,949 |
| 1980-1990 | 41,506 |
| 1990-2000 | 55,185 |
| 2000-2010 | 63,199 |
| 2010-2019 | 35,301 |
| 2020-2029 | 15,181 |
Famous people named Carlos
- Carlos Santana: musician, guitarist
- Carlos Alcaraz: tennis player, athlete
- Carlos Correa: baseball player, athlete
Nicknames
Carlitos, Los, Carl
Fun facts
- Carlos directly corresponds to the English name Charles and shares its ancient Germanic root Karl.
- With over 300,000 recorded male births in the U.S. since 1880, Carlos ranks among the top 120 most popular male names in modern American history.