Carlos Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Carlos has Spanish origins and means 'free man'. It evolved from the Germanic name Karl through Latin and Old French forms. Carlos is a prevalent name today, often linked to strong and influential figures, and it has historical significance due to its royal associations in the Middle Ages.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Carlos"
Pronunciation
/ˈkɑːrləs/
Origin
Spanish
Etymology
Carlos is the Spanish form of Charles, which derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning 'free man' or 'man'.
Meaning
free man
Language Evolution
Karl (Old High German), Carolus (Latin), Charles (Old French), Carlos (Spanish)
Historical Usage
Carlos became popular in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in the Middle Ages, due to the influence of various kings named Carlos.
Variants & Derivatives
Carl, Charlie, Charles, Carlo
Modern Popularity & Image
Carlos is a widely recognized name in many cultures and is often associated with strength and leadership.
Famous People
Carlos Santana, Carlos Ruiz, Carlos Slim, Carlos Boozer
📊 Carlos Name Trend Analysis
Boy Name Trend
Recent 3-Year Analysis
Girl Name Trend
Recent 3-Year Analysis
Explore More Name Visualizations
Key Insights
Popularity Trend
Highly Popular name with 6,864 peak births in 2001
Geographic Spread
Popular across 51 US states, with strongest presence in New Mexico
Historical Span
Data spanning 145 years from 1880 to 2024, showing long-term trends
Generational Impact
Influenced 14 different American generations with varying popularity
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Carlos"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Carlos"
"Carlos" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 281st of 7545 | 6,207 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 218th of 6773 | 10,732 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 176th of 7552 | 30,300 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 86th of 10718 | 53,007 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 70th of 16616 | 74,991 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 69th of 24088 | 93,584 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 131st of 23106 | 35,262 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 4839th of 9107 | 57 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 2980th of 9204 | 168 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 2677th of 12526 | 342 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 2141st of 19264 | 627 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 2820th of 27321 | 621 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 8410th of 35406 | 205 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 21584th of 30306 | 20 |
Regional Popularity of "Carlos" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
27.47% 389th/1416 |
35.82% 494th/1379 |
10.10% 239th/2366 |
12.08% 138th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
21.86% 338th/1546 |
23.52% 366th/1556 |
8.16% 192nd/2353 |
8.86% 137th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
12.17% 271st/2227 |
5.88% 143rd/2430 |
5.68% 162nd/2853 |
4.86% 135th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
5.75% 169th/2937 |
2.07% 72nd/3483 |
2.56% 90th/3518 |
1.61% 65th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
4.15% 153rd/3685 |
1.74% 78th/4475 |
1.46% 76th/5194 |
0.82% 52nd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
3.03% 139th/4582 |
1.94% 100th/5164 |
0.85% 62nd/7313 |
0.58% 43rd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
6.20% 247th/3984 |
4.10% 184th/4487 |
1.72% 117th/6822 |
1.48% 93rd/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Carlos" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
77.52% 1824th/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- |
85.51% 2078th/2430 |
65.30% 1863rd/2853 |
- |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- |
53.32% 1857th/3483 |
54.04% 1901st/3518 |
38.65% 1563rd/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
100.00% 3685th/3685 |
54.75% 2450th/4475 |
45.48% 2362nd/5194 |
25.76% 1627th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - |
83.69% 6120th/7313 |
54.29% 4052nd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Carlos"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Carlos" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.
Comprehensive Regional & Generational Popularity Trends of "Carlos" in the United States
The name Carlos is most popular in New Mexico, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) generation in the West region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is gaining popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been gradually declining. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Carlos has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, too falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, too falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, too rising for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Carlos' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 281st out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 218th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 176th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 86th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 70th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 69th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 131st out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 4839th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2980th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 2677th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 2141st out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2820th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 8410th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 21584th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Carlos' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.