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{{About|the given name|the family name|Charles (surname)|other uses|Charles (disambiguation)}}
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{{Infobox given name
| name = Charles
| variant forms = [[Carl (name)|Carl]], [[Karl (given name)|Karl]], [[Carlo (name)|Carlo]], [[Carlos (given name)|Carlos]], [[Carolus (disambiguation)|Carolus]]
| image= Charlemagne_and_Pope_Adrian_I.jpg
| imagesize=
| caption= King [[Charlemagne]] (742–814) of the Franks
| pronunciation= {{IPAc-en|tʃ|ɑr|l|z}}<br>{{IPA|fr|ʃaʁl|lang}}
| gender = Male 
| meaning =  "Free man"
| name day = November 4
| region = 
| origin = [[French language|French]], from [[Germanic languages|Germanic]]
| related names = Feminine: [[Caroline (name)|Caroline]], [[Charlotte (given name)|Charlotte]], [[Charlene (given name)|Charlene]]
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Charles''' is a masculine [[given name]] predominantly found in [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]] speaking countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.name-doctor.com/name-charles-meaning-of-charles-5640.html|title=Charles|website=Name-doctor.com|access-date=November 20, 2019}}</ref> It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the [[Proto-Germanic|Proto-Germanic name]] {{script|Runr|ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ}} (in [[runic alphabet]]) or ''*karilaz'' (in [[Latin alphabet]]), whose meaning was "free man". The [[Old English]] descendant of this word was ''[[Churl|Ċearl]]'' or ''Ċeorl'', as the name of King [[Cearl of Mercia]], that disappeared after the [[Norman conquest of England]].

The name was notably borne by [[Charlemagne]] (Charles the Great), and was at the time [[Latinisation of names|Latinized]] as ''Karolus'' (as in ''[[Vita Karoli Magni]]''), later also as ''[[Carolus (disambiguation)|Carolus]]''.

==Etymology==
The name's etymology is a [[Common Germanic]] noun ''*karilaz'' meaning "free man", which survives in English as [[wikt:churl|churl]] (< Old English ''ċeorl''),<ref>T. F. Hoad, ''English Etymology'', Oxford University Press, 1993 ({{ISBN|0-19-283098-8}}). p. 76.</ref> which developed its deprecating sense in the [[Middle English]] period.

Some Germanic languages, for example [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and [[German language|German]], have  retained the word in two separate senses. In the particular case of Dutch, ''Karel'' refers to the [[given name]], whereas the noun ''kerel'' means "a bloke, fellow, man".{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In the form ''Charles'', the initial spelling ''ch-'' corresponds to the [[Palatalization (sound change)|palatalization]] of the Latin group ''ca-'' to [tʃa] in Central Old French ([[Francien language|Francien]]) and the final ''-s'' to the former subjective case (cas sujet) of [[masculine (grammar)|masculine]] names in [[Old French]] like in [[Giles (given name)|Giles]] or [[James (name)|James]] (< Latin ''-us'', see Spanish/ Portuguese ''Carlos'').

According to [[Julius Pokorny]], the historical linguist and [[Indo-European studies|Indo-Europeanist]], the root meaning of Charles is "old man", from [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European]] *[[wikt:Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/ǵerh₂-|ĝer-]], where the ĝ is a [[palatal consonant]], meaning "to rub; to be old; grain." An old man has been worn away and is now grey with age.{{clarify|date=April 2018}}<ref>{{cite book | first=Julius | last=Pokorny |author2=G. Starotsin |author3=A. Lubotsky | title=Proto-Indo-European Etymological Dictionary: a Revised Edition of Julius Pokorny's Indogermanicshes Etymologisches Wörterbuch | year=2007 | publisher=Indo-European Language Association | pages=1192–1193}}</ref>

In some [[Slavic languages]], the name ''[[Drago (given name)|Drago]]'' (and variants: ''Dragomir'', ''Dragoslav'', etc., all based on the root ''drag'' 'dear') has been used as an equivalent for ''Charles'' (''Karel'', etc.). This is based on the [[false etymology]] deriving ''Carl'' from [[Latin language|Latin]] ''carus'' 'dear'.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Keber |first1=janez |title=Leksikon imen |date=1988 |publisher=Mohorjeva družba |location=Celje |page=152}}</ref> Examples are the Slovene politician [[Karel Dežman]] (1821–1889), also known as ''Dragotin Dežman'', and the Slovene historian [[Dragotin Lončar]] (1876–1954), baptized ''Carl''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Taufbuch |date=1862–1886 |location=Brdo |page=34 |url=https://data.matricula-online.eu/sl/slovenia/ljubljana/brdo/03771/?pg=45 |access-date=November 10, 2022}}</ref>

==History==

===Early Middle Ages===
The name is atypical for [[Germanic name]]s as it is not composed of two elements, but simply a noun meaning "(free) man". This meaning of ''ceorl'' contrasts with ''[[earl|eorl]]'' (Old Norse ''jarl'') "nobleman" on one hand and with  ''þeow'' (Old Norse ''[[thrall|þræll]]'') "bondsman, slave" on the other. As such it would not seem a likely candidate for the name of a [[Germanic king]], but it is attested as such with [[Cearl of Mercia]] ({{floruit|620}}),  the first Mercian king mentioned by [[Bede]] in his ''[[Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum]]''. It is a peculiarity of the [[Anglo-Saxon genealogies|Anglo-Saxon royal names]] that many of the rulers of the earliest period (6th to 7th centuries) have monothematic (simplex) names, while the standard [[dithematic name]]s become almost universal from the 8th century. Compare the name of King [[Mul of Kent]] (7th century) which simply translates to "mule".

[[Charles Martel]], the son of [[Pepin of Herstal]] and [[Alpaida]], was either illegitimate or the product of a bigamous marriage, and therefore indeed a "free man", but not of noble rank. After his victory at the [[Battle of Soissons (718)]], Charles Martel styled himself [[Duke of the Franks]]. Charles' eldest son was named [[Carloman (mayor of the palace)|Carloman]] ({{circa|710}}{{snd}}754), a rare example of the element ''carl-'' occurring in a compound name. 
The ''[[Chronicle of Fredegar]]'' names an earlier ''Carloman'' as the father of [[Pepin of Landen]], and thus the great-great-grandfather of the Charles Martel. This would place the name ''Carloman'' in the 6th century, and open the possibility that the Frankish name ''Carl'' may originate as a short form of ''Carloman''. The only other compound name with the ''Carl-'' prefix is ''Carlofred'' (''Carlefred''), attested in the 7th century; as a suffix, it occurs in the rare names ''Altcarl'' and ''Gundecarl'' (9th and 11th centuries, respectively).<ref>E. Förstemann, Altdeutsches Namenbuch (1856), s.v. 'Carl' (303).</ref>

[[Charlemagne]] (742–814) was Charles Martel's grandson. After Charlemagne's reign, the name became irrevocably connected with him and his [[Carolingian dynasty]].
After Charlemagne, the name Charles (''Karol'') became even the standard word for "king" in Slavic (Czech and Slovak ''král'', Polish ''król''; South Slavic ''kral'' крал, ''krȃlj'' краљ; Russian король), Baltic (Latvian ''karalis'', Lithuanian ''karalius'') and Hungarian (''király'').

Charlemagne's son [[Charles the Younger]] died without issue, but the name resurfaces repeatedly within the 9th-century Carolingian family tree, so with [[Charles the Bald]] (823–877), [[Charles the Fat]] (839–888) [[Charles of Provence]] (845–863), [[Charles the Child]] (847/848–866) and [[Charles the Simple]] (879–929).

===Later Middle Ages and Early Modern history===
The name survives into the High Middle Ages ([[Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine]]; [[Charles, Count of Valois]]; [[Charles I, Count of Flanders]] (Charles the Good, beatified in 1882); [[Charles I of Naples]]; [[Charles I of Hungary]]). [[Charles VII of Sweden|Karl Sverkersson]] was a king of Sweden in the 12th century, counted as "Charles VII" due to a genealogical fiction of the 17th century by [[Charles IX of Sweden|Charles "IX"]], but actually the first king of Sweden with this name.

Charles resurfaces as a royal name in Germany with [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor]] (1316–1378, counted as "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Fat) and in France with [[Charles IV of France]] (1294–1328, "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Simple), and becomes comparatively widespread in the [[Late Middle Ages]] ([[Charles I, Duke of Savoy]], [[Charles III, Duke of Savoy]]).

[[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] (1500–1558) gives rise to a tradition of Charlses in Habsburg Spain ([[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor]], [[Charles II of Spain]], [[Charles III of Spain]], [[Charles IV of Spain]]).

The numbering scheme for the [[kings of Sweden]] was continued in modern times with [[Charles X Gustav of Sweden|Charles X Gustav]], [[Charles XI of Sweden|Charles XI]],  [[Charles XII of Sweden|Charles XII]], [[Charles XIII of Sweden|Charles XIII]], [[Charles XIV John]] and [[Charles XV of Sweden|Charles XV]].

[[Charles I of England]] (1600–1649) is followed by [[Charles II of England]] (1630–1685). The [[Province of Carolina]] is named during the rule of Charles II, after Charles I.

[[Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine]] (1661–1742).

===Modern history===
[[Carlism]] is a political movement in [[Spain]] seeking the establishment of a separate line of the [[House of Bourbon|Bourbon]] family on the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish throne]]. This line descended from [[Infante Carlos, Count of Molina]] (1788–1855), and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread dissatisfaction with the Alfonsine line of the [[House of Bourbon]]. The movement was at its strongest in the 1830s, causing the [[Carlist Wars]], and had a revival following Spain's defeat in the [[Spanish–American War]] in 1898, and lasted until the end of the [[Francisco Franco|Franco]] regime in 1975 as a social and political force

[[Charles Floyd (explorer)|Charles Floyd]] (1782–1804) was the only casualty  in the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]. [[Charles DeRudio]] (1832–1910) was an Italian aristocrat, would-be assassin of [[Napoleon III]], and later a career U.S. Army officer who fought in the [[7th U.S. Cavalry]] at the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn]]. [[Charles Albert Varnum]] (1849–1936) was the commander of the scouts in the Little Bighorn Campaign and received the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions in a conflict following the [[Battle of Wounded Knee]].
[[Charley Reynolds|"Lonesome" Charley Reynolds]] (1842–1876) was a scout in the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment who was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

''Carl'' has been a very popular male given name in the United States during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, consistently ranking in the top 30 male given names in the US from 1887 to 1938, and remaining among the top 100 until the 1980s, but since declining below rank 500. ''Charles'' has always been among the top 100 names in the U.S. since records started in 1880.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charles|url=https://www.behindthename.com/name/charles/top/united-states|website=Behind the Name|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref> In addition, it is among the top 100 names given in England and Wales; the current [[King of the United Kingdom]] and the other Commonwealth realms, [[Charles III]], is a notable bearer of the name. In 2022, it was the 26th most popular name given to boys in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014701|title=Table 17-10-0147-01  First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators (Number)|website=Statistics Canada|access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref>

==Derived feminine names==
[[Caroline (given name)|Caroline]] and '''Charlotte''' are feminine given names derived from ''Carl''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Caroline|url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/caroline|website=Behind the Name|access-date=12 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Charlotte|url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/charlotte|website=Behind the Name|access-date=12 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Caroline|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198610601.001.0001/acref-9780198610601-e-4023?rskey=SZbfo1&result=1201|journal=Oxford Reference| year=2006 |publisher=Oxford| doi=10.1093/acref/9780198610601.001.0001 |access-date=12 April 2017| last1=Hanks | first1=Patrick | last2=Hardcastle | first2=Kate | last3=Hodges | first3=Flavia | isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 }}</ref>

[[Charlotte (given name)|Charlotte]] is late medieval, e.g. [[Charlotte of Savoy]] (1441–1483), [[Charlotte of Cyprus]] (1444–1487). It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century, and gave rise to hypocorisms such as ''Lottie, Tottie, Totty''.

[[Caroline (given name)|Caroline]] is early modern,  e.g. [[Caroline of Ansbach]] (1683–1737). It has  given rise to numerous variations, such as '' Carlyn, Carolina, Carolyn, Karolyn, Carolin, Karolina, Karoline, Karolina, Carolien'', as well as hypocorisms, such as ''Callie, Carol, Carrie'', etc.

Another derived feminine name is '''Carla''' ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]], [[Catalan language|Catalan]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[English language|English]], [[German language|German]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]]), a name which dates from early Italy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Carla|url=http://www.behindthename.com/name/carla|website=Behind the Name|access-date=12 April 2017}}</ref>

Regional forms:
** Carolina (Italian, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Bulgarian)
** Caroline (English, French, Indonesian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch)
** [[Carolyn]] (English)
** Carlijn (Dutch)
** Karoliina (Finnish)
** [[Karolina (disambiguation)|Karolina]] (Bulgarian, Indonesian, Polish, Swedish)
** Karolína (Czech)
** Karoline (Danish, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish)
** Karolina (Каролина) (Russian)
** Keraleyn (קעראַליין) (Yiddish)
** Carly (American)
** [[Carol (given name)|Carol]] (English)
* [[Carola]] (German, Swedish)
** [[Carole (disambiguation)|Carole]] (English, French, Portuguese)
** Karol (קאַראָל) ([[Yiddish language|Yiddish]])
** Kyārōla (क्यारोल) ([[Nepali language|Nepali]])
** Kerol (Керол) (Serbian), (Russian)
* Charlotte (English, French, German, Swedish, Danish, Dutch)
** Carlota (Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan)
** Carlotta (Italian)
** Charlotta (Swedish)
* [[Carla]]
** Charla (English)
** Karla (Bulgarian, German, Indonesian, Scandinavian, Serbian, Czech, Croatian)
** Карла (Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian)
* [[Charlene (given name)]], Charlène

==Regional forms of the name==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Language
!Formal name
![[Pet name|Informal name]]
|-
|[[Armenian language|Armenian]] || Կարլոս (Karlos) ||
|-
|[[Basque language|Basque]] || Karlos ||
|-
|[[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] || Карл (Karl) ||
|-
|[[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] || Чарльз (Čarĺz) ||
|-
|[[Catalan language|Catalan]] || Carles ||
|-
|[[Chinese language|Chinese]] || 查尔斯 (simplified), 查爾斯 (traditional) (Chá'ěrsī) ||
|-
|[[Croatian language|Croatian]] || Karlo ||
|-
|[[Czech language|Czech]] || [[Karel (given name)|Karel]] ||
|-
|[[Danish language|Danish]] || Karl, Carl ||
|-
|[[Dutch language|Dutch]] || [[Karel (given name)|Karel]] ||
|-
|[[English language|English]] || Charles || [[Charlie (given name)|Charlie/Charley]], [[Chuck]], Chucky, Chaz/Chas, Chad, Chip
|-
|[[Estonian language|Estonian]] ||[[Kaarel]], Kaarli, Kaaro, [[Kalle]] ||
|-
|[[Faroese language|Faroese]] || Karl ||
|-
|[[Finnish language|Finnish]] || Kaarlo, Kaarle, [[Kalle]], Karl ||
|-
|[[French language|French]] || Charles || Charlot
|-
|[[German language|German]] || Karl, Carl ||
|-
|[[Georgian language|Georgian]] || კარლო (Karlo) ||
|-
|[[Greek language|Greek]] || Κάρολος (Károlos) ||
|-
|[[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] || [[Károly]] || Karcsi
|-
|[[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] || Kale ||
|-
|[[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] || Karl ||
|-
|[[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] || Charles, Carolus ||
|-
|[[Irish language|Irish]] || Carlus, Séarlas, Cathal ||
|-
|[[Italian language|Italian]] || Carlo ||
|-
|[[Japanese language|Japanese]] || チャールズ (Chāruzu) ||
|-
|[[Korean language|Korean]] || 찰스 (chalseu) ||
|-
|[[Latin]] || [[Carolus (disambiguation)|Carolus]] ||
|-
|[[Latvian language|Latvian]] || [[Kārlis]] ||
|-
|[[Limburgish]] || Sjarel ||
|-
|[[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] || [[Karolis]] ||
|-
|[[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] || Karl, Carl ||
|-
|[[Polish language|Polish]] || [[Karol (disambiguation)|Karol]] ||
|-
|[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] || [[Carlos (given name)|Carlos]] || Carlinhos
|-
|[[Romanian language|Romanian]] || [[Carol (given name)|Carol]] ||
|-
|[[Russian language|Russian]] || Карл (Karl) ||
|-
|[[Scottish Gaelic]] || Teàrlach ||
|-
|[[Serbian language|Serbian]] || Карло (Karlo) ||
|-
|[[Slovak language|Slovak]] || [[Karol (disambiguation)|Karol]] ||
|-
|[[Slovene language|Slovene]] || [[Karel (given name)|Karel]] ||
|-
|[[Spanish language|Spanish]] || Carlos || Carlito, Carlitos, Caloy (Philippines)
|-
|[[Swedish language|Swedish]] || Karl, Carl, [[Kalle]] ||
|-
| [[Welsh language|Welsh]] || Siarl ||
|}

==List of notable people==
<!-- READ: Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. Only add notable Charles here. Non-notable information and other vanity will be removed. -->

===Media, arts and entertainment===
;In literature
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Abreu]]|| Cuban composer and pianist
|-
|[[Charles Baudelaire]]|| French poet
|-
|[[Charles Bukowski]]|| American poet and novelist
|-
|[[Charles Dickens]]|| English novelist
|-
|Charles Dodgson (pen-name [[Lewis Carroll]])|| English clergyman, writer and mathematician
|-
|[[Charles Dyer (playwright)]]
|English playwright, actor and screenwriter
|-
|[[Charles Edwards (journalist)|Charles Edwards]] || Canadian journalist and news agency executive
|-
|[[Charles Henri Ford]]|| American poet, photographer and writer
|-
|[[Charles Fort]]|| American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena
|-
|[[Charles L. Grant]]|| American science-fiction author
|-
|Charles [[Roger Hargreaves]]
|Children's author who wrote [[Mr. Men and Little Miss|the Mr. Men and Little Miss series.]]
|-
|[[Charles "Sis Doc" Richardson]]
|American newspaper editor, founder of [[Chi Omega]]
|-
|[[Charles Lewinsky]]|| Swiss screenwriter, dramatist and playwright
|-
|[[Charles Lummis]]|| American journalist, poet, historian; founder of the Southwest Museum
|-
|[[Charles Mayer (journalist)|Charles Mayer]]|| Canadian journalist, sportsperson and politician
|-
|[[Charles Olson]]|| American poet
|-
|[[Charles O'Rear]]|| American photographer known for taking ''[[Bliss (image)|Bliss]]''
|-
|[[Charles Jacobs Peterson]]|| American author, editor and publisher
|-
|[[Charles G.D. Roberts]]|| Canadian poet
|-
|[[Charles Webb (author)]]|| American author of ''The Graduate''
|}

;In music
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Aznavour]]|| French-Armenian singer 
|-
|[[Chuck Berry]]|| American guitarist, singer, and composer
|-
|[[Charlie Daniels]]|| American country music figure
|-
|[[Charles Gavin]]|| Brazilian rock drummer/producer
|-
|[[Charlie Haden]]|| American Jazz bassist and composer
|-
|[[Charles Ives]]|| American composer
|-
|[[Charles Kelley]]|| Vocalist and founding member of the country music trio [[Lady A]]
|-
|[[Charles Lloyd (jazz musician)|Charles Lloyd]]|| American jazz musician
|-
|[[Chuck Mangione]]|| American jazz artist
|-
|[[Charles Mingus]]|| American Jazz bassist and composer
|-
|[[Charles E. Moody]]|| American gospel songwriter and performer
|-
|[[Charlie Parker]]|| American Jazz saxophonist
|-
|[[Charlie Simpson]]|| British musician and singer
|-
|[[Charles Davis Tillman]] (1861–1943)|| pioneer of southern gospel music
|-
|[[Charlie Watts]]|| English drummer for the rock group [[The Rolling Stones]]
|}
;In film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Bowers]]|| American cartoonist and early filmmaker
|-
|[[Charles Boyer]]|| French-American actor
|-
|[[Charles Bronson]]|| American actor
|-
|[[Sebastian Cabot (actor)|Sebastian Cabot]] (born Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot)
|English actor
|-
|[[Charlie Chaplin]]|| English comedy actor, famous for silent film acting
|-
|[[Charley Chase]]|| American silent film comedian and writer
|-
|[[Charles Dance]]|| English actor
|-
|[[Charles Durning]]|| American actor
|-
|[[Charles Gray (actor)|Charles Gray]]|| English actor
|-
|[[Charles Grodin]]|| American actor and cable talk show host
|-
|[[Charles Herbert]]|| American child actor of the '50s and '60s
|-
|[[Charlton Heston]] (born John Charles Carter)|| American actor 
|-
|[[Lionel Jeffries]] (born Lionel Charles Jeffries)
|English actor
|-
|[[Charles Laughton]]|| English actor
|-
|[[Chas Licciardello]]|| Australian comedian and a member of The Chaser
|-
|[[Charles Stanton Ogle]]|| silent film actor
|-
|[[Charles Nelson Reilly]]|| American comic actor and game show regular
|-
|[[Charles Reisner]]|| American actor and film director
|}

;In television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Gibson]]|| American television journalist
|-
|[[Charles Kuralt]]|| American television journalist
|-
|[[Charlie Rose]]|| American host of a television interview show
|}

;In visual arts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Addams]]|| American cartoonist known for his particularly [[black humor]] and macabre characters
|-
|[[Charles Dellschau]]|| Prussian-American [[outsider artist]]
|-
|[[Charles Eyck]]|| Dutch visual artist
|-
|[[Chuck Jones]]|| American animator
|-
|[[Charles R. Knight]]|| wildlife artist, known for prehistoric restorations
|-
|[[Charles Lutyens]]|| English artist and art therapist
|-
|[[Charles Chandler Reese]] (1862-1936), American illustrator, newspaper cartoonist, and artist
|-
|[[Charles Augustus Henry Lutyens]]|| English soldier and painter

|-
|[[Charles Martinet]]|| American actor known for playing the voice as [[Mario]] and other characters
|-
|[[Charles Prendergast]]|| Canadian-American artist

|-
|[[Charles Schulz]]|| creator of the comic strip ''[[Peanuts]]''
|}

;Other areas of media, arts and entertainment 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles White (YouTuber)]]|| American YouTuber and Twitch streamer
|}

===Athletes===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charlie Austin]]|| English footballer
|-
|[[Charles Aránguiz]]|| Chilean professional footballer
|-
|[[Charles Barkley]]|| former NBA forward and a current NBA color commentator for TNT
|-
|[[Chuck Bednarik]]|| NFL player, 1967, [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
|-
|[[Chad Gable|Charles Betts]]||American professional wrestler
|-
|[[Charl Bouwer]]||South African paralympic swimmer
|-
|[[Charles Callison]]|| American basketball player
|-
|[[Charles Cornelius (gridiron football)|Charles Cornelius]]|| NFL and CFL player
|-
|[[Charles Daniels (swimmer)|Charles Daniels]] (1885–1973)|| American freestyle swimmer
|-
|[[Charley Diamond]]|| American football player
|-
|[[Charlie Fleming (footballer)]]|| Scottish footballer
|-
|[[Charles Goldenberg|Charles "Buckets" Goldenberg]]|| American All-Pro football player 
|-
|[[Charles Green (disambiguation)]]|| multiple people
|-
|[[Charles Harris (American football)|Charles Harris]]||American football player
|-
|[[Chuck Hayes]]|| American basketball player who currently plays for the [[Houston Rockets]]
|-
|[[Charles Horton (disambiguation)]]|| multiple people
|-
|[[Charles Jagusah]]|| American football player
|-
|[[Charles Jenkins (disambiguation)]]|| multiple people
|-
|[[Charles Leclerc]]|| Monégasque racing driver
|-
|[[Charles Lefrançois]]|| Canadian high jumper
|-
|[[Charlie McCarthy (hurler)|Charlie McCarthy]]|| Irish hurler
|-
|[[Charles Myer]]|| American major league baseball All Star second baseman
|-
|[[Charles Oakley]]|| American basketball forward
|-
|[[Charles O'Bannon]] || American basketball player
|-
|[[Charl Pietersen (darts player)]]||South African darts player
|-
|[[Charles Radbourn]]|| early Major League Baseball pitcher
|-
|[[Charles Ramsdell (basketball)|Charles Ramsdell]]|| Malagasy athlete
|-
|[[Charlie Reiter]]|| American professional soccer player
|-
|[[Charles Fernando Basílio da Silva]]|| Brazilian midfielder
|-
|[[Charles Sifford]]|| first African American golfer to play in a PGA tour
|-
|[[Charles Tangus]]|| Kenyan distance and marathon runner
|-
|[[Charles Washington (defensive back, born 1993)|Charles Washington]]|| American football player
|}

===In politics===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles "Bubba" Chaney]]|| Louisiana politician
|-
|[[Charles Francis Adams Sr.]]|| American congressman and ambassador, grandson of [[John Adams]]
|-
|[[Charles Edward Bennett]]|| Democratic U.S. Congressman from Florida
|-
|[[Charles Bent]]|| first Governor of [[New Mexico Territory]], assassinated in 1847
|-
|[[Charles Joseph Bonaparte]]|| former [[U. S. Attorney General]]
|-
|[[Charles Bradlaugh]]|| British political activist and militant atheist, founder of the [[National Secular Society]]
|-
|[[Charles Q. Brown Jr.]]|| [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]
|-
|[[Charles Carroll of Carrollton]]|| last living signer of the [[U.S. Declaration of Independence]] (died 1832)
|-
|[[Charles Chanda]]
|Zambian politician
|-
|[[Charles Colson]]|| U.S. [[Richard Nixon]]'s Chief Counsel, involved in the [[Watergate scandal]]
|-
|[[Charles Magill Conrad]]|| former American [[Secretary of War]]
|-
|[[Charles Edward Bandaranaike Corea]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer
|-
|[[Charles Curtis]]|| 31st American Vice President, under [[Herbert Hoover]]
|-
|[[Charles G. Dawes]]|| 30th American Vice President, under [[Calvin Coolidge]]
|-
|[[Charles Devens]]|| former U.S. Attorney General
|-
|[[Charles de Gaulle]]|| French military leader and statesman
|-
|[[C. E. P. de Silva|Charles Edward Perry de Silva]] || Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer and politician
|-
|[[C. P. de Silva|Charles Percival de Silva]] || Sri Lankan civil servant and politician
|-
|[[Charles Batuwantudawe|Charles de Silva Batuwantudawe]] || Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer and politician
|-
|[[Charles Edirisuriya]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala Member of Parliament for [[Hambanthota]]
|-
|[[Charlie Elphicke]]|| British politician
|-
|James [[Charles Evers]]|| [[civil rights]] activist, older brother of Medgar Evers
|-
|[[Charles W. Fairbanks]]|| 26th American Vice President, under [[Theodore Roosevelt]]
|-
|[[C. H. Z. Fernando|Charles Hubert Zaleski Fernando]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala businessman, lawyer, and member of the [[Legislative Council of Ceylon]]
|-
|[[Charles Matthew Fernando]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer and scholar, first Sri Lankan [[Crown Counsel]]
|-
|[[Charles A. Ford]]|| American diplomat
|-
|[[Charles Gibbs (Alberta politician)|Charles Gibbs]]|| Canadian politician 
|-
|[[Charles J. M. Gwinn]]|| American lawyer and politician
|-
|[[Charles Harper (Mayor)|Charles Harper]]|| Australian politician 
|-
|[[Charles Alwis Hewavitharana]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala independence activist
|-
|[[Charles Evans Hughes]]|| former U.S. Secretary of State
|-
|[[Charles Humphreys]]|| Pennsylvania delegate to [[Continental Congress]]; refused to sign Declaration of Independence due to his [[Quaker]] beliefs
|-
|[[Charles Muguta Kajege]]|| Tanzanian politician
|-
|[[Charles Y. Kaneshiro]]|| American politician
|-
|[[Charles Kennedy]]|| British politician
|-
|[[Charles Lapointe]]|| Canadian politician
|-
|[[Chuck Larson]]|| former U.S. ambassador to Latvia
|-
|[[Charles Lee (Attorney General)|Charles Lee]]|| former U. S. Attorney General
|-
|[[Charles Ambrose Lorensz]]|| Sri Lankan [[Burgher people|Burgher]] lawyer, legislator, and journalist
|-
|[[Charles Mathias]] (1922–2010)|| American politician
|-
|[[Charles Naylor]] (1806–1872)|| American politician
|-
|[[Karolos Papoulias]]|| former [[President of Greece]]
|-
|[[Charles Stewart Parnell]]|| Irish political leader
|-
|[[Charles Sheedy (politician)|Charles Sheedy]] || West Virginian politician
|-
|[[Charles Pasqua]]|| French businessman and politician
|-
|[[Charles Pearson]]|| former Solicitor for The City of London and early railway advocate
|-
|[[Chuck Robb]]|| former Governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator
|-
|[[Charlie Rose (congressman)|Charlie Rose]]|| American congressman (Democrat from N.C.)
|-
|[[Charles Scott (governor of Kentucky)|Charles Scott]]|| Governor of Kentucky; also [[George Washington]]'s Chief of Intelligence during the [[American Revolution]]
|-
|[[Charles Harding Smith]]|| Irish politician
|-
|[[Charles G. Taylor]]|| former [[President of Liberia]]
|-
|[[Charles Thomson]]|| secretary of the Continental Congress
|-
|[[Charles Townsend (British politician)|Charles Townsend]]
|British politician
|-
|[[Charles Wilson (Texas politician)|Charles Wilson]]|| Texas congressman, subject of 2007 movie ''[[Charlie Wilson's War (film)|Charlie Wilson's War]]''
|}

===In religion===
*[[Charles Barff (missionary)|Charles Barff]] (1791–1866), English missionary
====Saints====
{{anchor|Saint Charles}}
There are a number of historical figures known as "Saint Charles", although few are recognized across confessions. 
In the context of English and British history, "Saint Charles" is typically [[Charles I of England]], recognized as a saint in the Anglican confession only. 
In Roman Catholicism, the best known Saint Charles is [[Charles Borromeo]] (1538–1584), an Italian cardinal, canonized by [[Pope Paul V]] in 1606.
[[Charles, Duke of Brittany]] (1319–1364) had been canonized after his death, but [[Pope Gregory XI]] annulled this. [[Charles I, Count of Flanders|Charles the Good]] (died 1127) is sometimes referred to as a saint, but while he was beatified in 1904, he has not been canonized.

Other Saints of the Roman Catholic Church, canonized after 1900:
*1904: Saint [[Charles Garnier (missionary)|Charles Garnier]] (1606–1649), French Jesuit missionary and martyr
*1959: Saint [[Charles of Sezze]] (1616–1670), Franciscan lay brother
*1964: Saint [[Charles Lwanga]] (1860 or 1865–1886), Ugandan Catholic martyr
*1995: Saint [[Eugène de Mazenod|Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod]] (1782–1861), French Catholic clergyman
*2007: Saint [[Charles of Mount Argus]] (1821–1818), Passionist Dutch priest who worked in Ireland

Beatified:
*1867: Blessed [[Charles Spinola]] (1564–1622), Genoese nobleman
*2004: Blessed [[Charles I of Austria]] (1887–1922), last emperor of [[Austria-Hungary|Austria]], king of [[Kingdom of Hungary (Austria-Hungary)|Hungary]], [[Kingdom of Bohemia (1867–1918)|Bohemia]], etc

==== Church leaders ====
*[[Charles Wesley]] (1707–1788), co-founder of the Methodist movement and writer of thousands of hymns
*[[Charles Grandison Finney]] (1792–1875), a leader of the Second Great Awakening in America
*[[Charles Godwyn]] (1701-1770), British cleric and antiquarian
*[[Charles W. Penrose]] (1832–1925), leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
*[[Charles Haddon Spurgeon]] (1834–1892), Reformed Baptist preacher
*[[Charles Harrison Mason]] (1866–1961), [[Pentecostal]] [[preacher]] and founder of the [[Church of God in Christ]]
*[[Charles Coughlin]] (1891–1979), American Catholic priest
*[[Charles E. Sheedy]] (1912–1990), member of the [[Congregation of Holy Cross]]

===Nobility===
:''See [[#History]] above for medieval and early modern royalty and nobility. This section lists noblemen born after 1700.''
{{Further|Charles I (disambiguation)|Charles II (disambiguation)|Charles III (disambiguation)|Charles IV (disambiguation)|Charles V (disambiguation)|Charles VI (disambiguation)|Charles VII (disambiguation)|Charles VIII (disambiguation)|Charles IX (disambiguation)|Carlism}}
*[[Charles d'Ursel]]
*[[Charles-Joseph, 4th Duke d'Ursel]]
*[[Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]] (1713–1780)
*[[Charles III of Spain]] (1716–1788),  first son of the second marriage of Philip V with Elizabeth Farnese of Parma
*"Bonnie Prince Charlie" [[Charles Edward Stuart]] (1720–1788), exiled claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland
*[[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis]] (1738–1805), English military commander and colonial governor
*[[Charles XIII of Sweden]] (1748–1818), king of Sweden, the second son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
*[[Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia]] (1751–1819)
*[[Charles IV of Spain]] (1748–1819), king of Spain from December 14, 1788, until his abdication on March 19, 1808
*[[Charles XIV John of Sweden]] (1763–1844), king of Sweden and Norway. Former Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of France
*[[Infante Carlos, Count of Molina]] (1788–1855)
*[[Charles, Count Léon]] (1806–1881), illegitimate son of Emperor [[Napoleon I of France]] and Catherine Eléonore Denuelle de la Plaigne
*[[Charles III, Prince of Monaco]] (1818–1889), founder of the casino in Monte Carlo
*[[Infante Carlos, Count of Montemolin]] (1818–1861)
*[[Charles I of Romania]] (1839–1914) first ruler of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty
*[[Carlos, Duke of Madrid]] (1848–1909)
*[[Charles I of Portugal]] (1863–1908), second to last King of Portugal and Algarves from 1889 to 1908
*[[Charles I of Austria]] (1887–1922), Emperor of Austria
*[[Charles II of Romania]] (1893–1853), eldest son of Ferdinand I
*[[Charles XV of Sweden]] (1826–1872), king of Sweden, the eldest son of King Oscar I and Josephine of Leuchtenberg
*[[Prince Charles of Belgium]] (1903–1983), second son of King Albert I of Belgium and Queen Elizabeth
*[[Archduke Karl Pius of Austria, Prince of Tuscany]] (1909–1953)
*[[Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma]] (1930–2010)
*[[Juan Carlos I of Spain]] (born 1938), former King of Spain
*[[Charles III|Charles III, King of the United Kingdom]] (born 1948),  eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

===Scientists===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
|-
|[[Charles Babbage]]|| English mathematician, philosopher, mechanical engineer and computer scientist
|-
|[[Charles L. Bennett]]|| American astrophysicist
|-
|[[Charles Thomas Bolton]]|| astronomer who proved the existence of black holes
|-
|[[Charles Bouman]]|| American engineering professor
|-
|[[Charles W. Curtis]] || American mathematician 
|-
|[[Charles Darwin]]|| British naturalist
|-
|[[Charles Dawson]]|| English archaeologist, involved in the [[Piltdown Man]] hoax
|-
|[[Charles Dupin]] || French mathematician, engineer, economist, and politician
|-
|[[Charles Ehresmann]] ||  French mathematician
|-
|[[Charles Fleming (ornithologist)]]|| New Zealand ornithologist
|-
|[[Charles Godakumbura]]|| Sri Lankan Sinhala archaeologist 
|-
| [[Charles Hermite]] || French mathematician
|-
|[[Charles Thomas Jackson]]|| American geologist 
|-
|[[Charles T. Kowal]]|| American astronomer, discoverer of Chiron and 2 moons of Jupiter
|-
|[[Charles Newton Little]] || American mathematician and civil engineer
|-
|[[Charles Lyell]]|| Scottish scientist, founder of modern geology
|-
|[[Charles F. Marvin]]
|American meteorologist
|-
|[[Charles Delucena Meigs]]|| American obstetrician
|-
|[[Charles Karsner Mills]]|| American neurologist
|-
|[[Charles Wright Mills]]|| American sociologist
|-
|[[Charles Sanders Peirce]]|| American chemist, mathematician, philosopher,  
|-
|[[Charles E. de M. Sajous]]|| American endocrinologist and laryngologist
|-
|[[Charles Sims (mathematician)]] || American mathematician
|-
|[[Charles Hazelius Sternberg]]|| American fossil collector, involved in the Bone Wars
|-
|[[Charles Mortram Sternberg]]|| son of above, also a fossil collector and paleontologist
|-
|[[Charles Tilly]]|| American sociologist
|-
|[[Charles Doolittle Walcott]]|| American paleontologist and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
|-
|[[Charles E. Wyman]]
|Chair of the [[Ford Motor Company]] and professor of chemistry 
|-
|[[Charles Thomson Rees Wilson]]|| Scottish physicist
|-
|[[Charles M. C. Lee]]
|Taiwanese behavioral economist
|}

===Other===
;Architecture
*[[Disappearance of Charles Armstrong|Charles Armstrong]] (died 1981), Irish labourer
*[[Charles Barry]], designer of the rebuilt Palace of Westminster
*[[Charles Barry Jr.]], his son
*[[Charles Thaddeus Russell]] (1875–1952), African American architect from Richmond, Virginia

;Aviation and Aerospace
*[[Charles Lindbergh]], first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean
*[[Chuck Yeager]], American test pilot and first man to break the sound barrier
 
;Entrepreneurs and businessmen
*[[Charles Darrow]] (1889–1967), American businessman falsely credited as the inventor of ''Monopoly''
*[[Don Charles Gemoris Attygalle]] (1836–1901), Sri Lankan Sinhala entrepreneur and mine owner
*[[Charles Henry de Soysa]] (1836–1890), Sri Lankan Sinhala planter and philanthropist
*[[Charles Keating]], American financier, instigator of the "Keating 5" scandal
*[[Charles Macalester]], businessman, banker, philanthropist, namesake of [[Macalester College]]
*[[Charles M. Schwab]], founder of Bethlehem Steel
*[[Charles R. Schwab]], stock-broker and founder of the Charles Schwab Corporation
*[[Charles Shor]] (born 1954), American businessman
*[[Charles Stewart Wurts]] (1790-1859), American businessman
*[[Charles Zadok]] (1897–1984), American businessman, art collector and patron

;Military personnel
*[[Charles L. Armstrong]] (1948-2011), United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel
*[[Charles M. Betts]] (1838-1905), American Medal of Honor recipient
*[[Charles Upham]], most-decorated Commonwealth serviceman of World War Two

;Criminals
*[[Charles Bronson (prisoner)|Charles A. Salvador]] (born Michael Peterson but better known as "Charles Bronson"), notorious English prisoner 
*[[Charles Cullen]], American serial killer and former nurse
*[[Charles Gibbs]], 19th-century pirate
*[[Charles J. Guiteau]], American assassin of 20th President [[James A. Garfield]]
*[[Charles Hudspeth (convict)|Charles Hudspeth]], American man convicted of murder
*[[Murder of the Lawson family|Charles "Charlie" Lawson]], American mass murderer and family annihilator
*[[Charles Manson]] (1934–2017), American cult leader, convicted murder conspirator
*[[Carl Panzram|Charles "Carl" Panzram]], American serial killer 
*[[Charles Ponzi]], Italian-American con-man, gave name to Ponzi scheme
*[[Charles Sobhraj]], Indian serial killer
*[[Charles Starkweather]], American teenage spree killer
*[[Charles Whitman]], American spree killer and former Marine

==Other uses of the name==
*[[Carolus (coin)]]
*"[[Charles (short story)|Charles]]", a short story by Shirley Jackson
*[[Charley horse]], a biophysical condition

==<span style="color:black;">See also</span>==
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=18em}}
{{srt}}
*[[Carl (name)]]
*[[Carles (name)]]
*[[Charley (disambiguation)]]
*[[Charlie (disambiguation)]]
*[[Charls]]
*[[Charly (disambiguation)]]
*[[Chuck (disambiguation)]]
*[[Charleston (disambiguation)]]
*[[Charlestown (disambiguation)]]
*[[Saint Charles (disambiguation)]]
*[[Chas (disambiguation)]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{given name|nocat}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:English given names]]
[[Category:English masculine given names]]
[[Category:Masculine given names]]
[[Category:English-language masculine given names]]
[[Category:French masculine given names]]
[[Category:Given names]]