Charlan
A variant of Charlene, of French origin, meaning "little and womanly".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Charlan. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Charlan today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Charlan births was 1947 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Charlan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Charlan is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Charlans were born before 1965.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Charlan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1947
5 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1963 SSA rank
#6,728
Tracked since 1947
Popularity
Charlan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Charlan from the 1940s through to the 1960s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Charlan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Charlan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Charlan
The name Charlan is believed to have its origins in the ancient Celtic language, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old Welsh word "carlan," meaning "beloved friend" or "dear companion." This name was particularly prevalent among the Celtic tribes that inhabited the regions of modern-day Wales and western England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Charlan can be found in the Welsh epic poetry collection known as the "Mabinogion," which dates back to the 12th or 13th century. In these tales, Charlan is depicted as a valiant warrior and trusted companion of one of the legendary Welsh princes.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Charlan gained popularity among the Welsh nobility and was often bestowed upon sons born into influential families. Notable historical figures bearing this name include Charlan ap Rhys (born c. 1150), a renowned Welsh poet and bard, and Charlan ap Gruffydd (c. 1220-1284), a prominent Welsh landowner and military leader during the wars against the English.
As the centuries passed, the name Charlan spread beyond Wales and into other parts of the British Isles. In the 16th century, records show a Charlan MacLeod (c. 1510-1572) who was a respected chieftain of the MacLeod clan on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
During the 17th century, the name Charlan made its way across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. One of the earliest documented instances is Charlan Winslow (1598-1655), an English settler who arrived in Plymouth Colony in 1623 and played a significant role in the establishment of the colony.
Another notable figure was Charlan Tuckerman (1792-1873), an American writer, critic, and philanthropist from Boston, who was highly regarded for his contributions to the literary and cultural life of the city.
While the name Charlan has waxed and waned in popularity over the centuries, it has maintained a unique cultural significance, particularly in regions with strong Celtic heritage. Its enduring presence serves as a reminder of the rich tapestry of history and tradition that has shaped the naming practices of various cultures across the globe.
People
Charlan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Charlan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Charlan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Charlan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Charlan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Charlan a common name?
We classify Charlan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Charlan most popular?
The single biggest year for Charlan was 1947, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Charlan is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Charlan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Charlan a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Charlan in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Charlan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Charlan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Charlan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Charlan?
See how many Americans are named Charlan on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.