Giancarlo
Italian baby name translating to "John Charles."
Name Census estimates that about 8,374 living Americans carry the first name Giancarlo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Giancarlo today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Giancarlo births was 2008 (381 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Giancarlo. 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.
People living today
8.4K
~ 1 in 40,931 Americans
Peak year
2008
381 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,404
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Giancarlo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Giancarlo from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 2,873 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Giancarlo 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 Giancarlo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Giancarlos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 25 states and territories. California, Florida, New York recorded the most babies named Giancarlo, while Wisconsin, Utah, Tennessee recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 272 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Giancarlo
Giancarlo is a masculine given name of Italian origin, formed by a combination of the names Giovanni and Carlo. The name Giovanni traces its roots back to the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious," while Carlo is derived from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "free man."
The earliest recorded use of the name Giancarlo dates back to the Middle Ages in Italy. During this period, it was common for children to be named after saints or biblical figures, and the name Giancarlo likely emerged as a blend of these two popular names, Giovanni and Carlo.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Giancarlo was Giancarlo Passeroni, an Italian poet and dramatist who lived from 1713 to 1803. He was renowned for his satirical works and plays, which often addressed social and political issues of his time.
Another notable figure was Giancarlo de' Medici (1611-1663), an Italian nobleman and patron of the arts. As a member of the powerful Medici family, he played a significant role in the cultural and artistic life of Florence during the 17th century.
In the 20th century, Giancarlo Menotti (1911-2007) was a renowned Italian-American composer and librettist. He is best known for his operas, such as "Amahl and the Night Visitors," which is considered a classic of modern American opera.
Giancarlo Giannini (born 1942) is an Italian actor and film director who has appeared in numerous acclaimed films, including "Mimì metallurgico ferito nell'onore" and "La scorta." He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation.
Giancarlo Esposito (born 1958) is an American actor of Italian descent who has gained recognition for his roles in television series such as "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul." He is known for his intense and compelling performances, often portraying complex and morally ambiguous characters.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Giancarlo throughout history. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Italy, the name has since gained popularity and recognition around the world, reflecting its enduring cultural significance and appeal.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Giancarlo
People
Giancarlo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Giancarlo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Giancarlo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Giancarlo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8,374 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Giancarlo 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 40,931 US residents.
Is Giancarlo a common name?
We classify Giancarlo as "Rare". It ranks above 97.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8,526 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Giancarlo most popular?
The single biggest year for Giancarlo was 2008, when 381 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Giancarlo is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Giancarlo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Giancarlo in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.