Carlos first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Carlos has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Carlos

A masculine name of Spanish origin meaning "man, manly".

Popularity of Carlos by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Carlos is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Carlos being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,546 male babies and 5 female babies born with the name Carlos.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby girls were named Carlos in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 2,546 5
2022 2,580 5
2021 2,500 0
2020 2,469 0
2019 2,840 0
2018 2,858 10
2017 3,074 0
2016 3,204 0
2015 3,420 0
2014 3,422 0
2013 3,682 0
2012 4,008 7
2011 4,180 5
2010 4,588 9
2009 5,378 0
2008 6,051 6
2007 6,416 6
2006 6,545 13
2005 6,562 14
2004 6,259 16
2003 6,218 16
2002 6,590 20
2001 6,842 22
2000 6,319 17
1999 6,664 18
1998 5,479 16
1997 5,461 20
1996 5,464 26
1995 5,543 21
1994 5,328 25
1993 5,350 35
1992 5,337 31
1991 5,329 40
1990 5,213 44
1989 4,637 45
1988 4,125 53
1987 4,145 42
1986 4,089 57
1985 4,088 30
1984 3,965 42
1983 3,913 41
1982 4,270 51
1981 4,184 38
1980 4,087 48
1979 4,164 45
1978 3,729 48
1977 3,794 51
1976 3,788 40
1975 3,792 51
1974 3,870 47

The history of the first name Carlos

The name Carlos has its origins in the Germanic language and culture. It is derived from the word "karl", which means "man" or "free man". The name first appeared in the 8th century AD and was popular among the Frankish and Visigothic nobility.

In the 9th century, the name gained widespread popularity after Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, who was known as Carolus Magnus in Latin. His name was derived from the Germanic "Karloz", which later became Charles in French and Carlos in Spanish.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Carlos is in the 11th century, with Carlos Buen Hijo, a nobleman from the Kingdom of Navarre in modern-day Spain. During the Middle Ages, the name was widely used across Europe, particularly in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

The name Carlos has several historical references in religious texts and scriptures. In the Bible, there is a reference to a Carmelite friar named Carlos de Santa MarĂ­a, who lived in the 16th century and was known for his work in spreading Christianity in South America.

Throughout history, there have been many notable figures with the name Carlos. One of the most famous was Carlos I of Spain, also known as Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor who ruled in the 16th century from 1516 to 1556. Another notable figure was Carlos III of Spain, who reigned from 1759 to 1788 and was known for his many reforms and patronage of the arts.

In the realm of literature, there was Carlos Fuentes, a Mexican novelist and essayist who was born in 1928 and died in 2012. He was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and was known for his works that explored Mexican identity and culture.

In the world of music, there was Carlos Gardel, an Argentine singer, composer, and actor who was born in 1890 and died in 1935. He was a pioneer of the tango music genre and is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Latin American music.

Finally, in the field of science, there was Carlos Juan Finlay, a Cuban epidemiologist who was born in 1833 and died in 1915. He is credited with discovering that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, a breakthrough that paved the way for the eradication of the disease in many parts of the world.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Carlos was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Carlos, please contact us.

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"Carlos first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/carlos-meaning-and-history/.

"Carlos first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/carlos-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Carlos first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/carlos-meaning-and-history/.

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