Karl first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Karl

A Germanic masculine name deriving from the Old Norse "karl" meaning "man, husband".

Popularity of Karl by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Karl is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Karl being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 100 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Karl.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 100 0
2022 127 0
2021 114 0
2020 102 0
2019 143 0
2018 143 0
2017 141 0
2016 167 0
2015 184 0
2014 165 0
2013 169 0
2012 161 0
2011 171 0
2010 177 0
2009 207 0
2008 188 0
2007 242 0
2006 270 0
2005 265 0
2004 281 0
2003 299 0
2002 330 0
2001 351 0
2000 366 0
1999 389 0
1998 455 0
1997 483 0
1996 504 0
1995 598 0
1994 612 0
1993 662 9
1992 737 0
1991 811 6
1990 857 6
1989 909 14
1988 843 23
1987 853 23
1986 903 29
1985 961 31
1984 895 24
1983 913 29
1982 974 27
1981 1,061 27
1980 1,058 24
1979 960 21
1978 901 22
1977 941 25
1976 868 26
1975 904 25
1974 1,004 26

The history of the first name Karl

The name Karl is derived from the Germanic word "karl" which means "man" or "freeman." It originated in the 8th century and was initially a title used to refer to someone of free birth or higher social status. Over time, it evolved into a personal name.

The name gained widespread popularity across Europe due to its association with Charlemagne, the ruler of the Frankish Empire from 768 to 814 AD. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great or Carolus Magnus in Latin, played a pivotal role in the spread of Christianity and the preservation of ancient learning during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karl can be found in the Nibelungenlied, a legendary German epic poem from around the 13th century. The poem mentions a character named Karl, who is believed to be a representation of Charlemagne.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Karl. One of the most famous is Karl Marx (1818-1883), the German philosopher and economist whose ideas laid the foundation for Marxism and communism. Another prominent individual was Karl Benz (1844-1929), the German automotive pioneer who patented the first gasoline-powered automobile in 1886.

Other significant figures with the name Karl include Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943), the Austrian-American biologist and physician who discovered the major blood groups and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930. Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) was a German philosopher and psychiatrist who made significant contributions to existentialism and phenomenology.

Additionally, Karl Pearson (1857-1936) was an English mathematician and philosopher who established the discipline of mathematical statistics and developed several statistical techniques, including the chi-squared test and the Pearson correlation coefficient.

The name Karl has been widely used across various cultures and regions, particularly in Germanic and Scandinavian countries, where it has maintained its popularity over the centuries.

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 Karl was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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

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

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

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