Nameling

Charlene

Gender
Girl
Say it
SHAR-leen
Origin
Germanic
UK rank, 2025
#2,344 for girls
US rank, 2025
#1,942 for girls

Charlene is a girls' name of Germanic origin, meaning “free man”. In 2025 it ranked 2,344th for girls in the UK (12 babies) and 1,942nd for girls in the US (99 babies).

What does Charlene mean?

Germanic: 20th-century feminine form of Charles

“free man”

A 20th-century feminine form of Charles, made by adding the ending -ene.

More on Wiktionary.

Is Charlene a girl's or a boy's name?

Charlene is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 12 girls in the UK and 99 girls in the US. Too few boys were given it to be listed.

How popular is Charlene in the UK?

Rank in 2025
#2,344among girls
Babies in 2025
12about 1 in 23,000 girls
Five-year trend
Steadydown 23% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 12 girls in the UK were named Charlene, making it the 2,344th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,948th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 98 girls.

It has been given to more girls each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more girls named Charlene than any year since 2020.

Half of all the girls named Charlene in the UK since 1996 were born between 1998 and 2008. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

Among girls in 2025, it was 2,276th in England and Wales.

In the England and Wales top 100 for girls, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1984 (#72).

1996Busiest: 98 in 19962025
Charlene in the UK, year by year
YearGirlsRank
202512#2,344
20248#3,076
20237#3,388
20226#3,728
20216#3,697
202015#1,948
20198#3,018
201812#2,320
20179#2,864
201612#2,363
201517#1,813
201412#2,320
201318#1,727
201216#1,914
201123#1,421
201020#1,575
200914#1,957
200829#1,119
200725#1,204
200639#834
200526#1,048
200444#706
200359#574
200241#700
200152#596
200044#648
199967#488
199875#452
199790#408
199698#379

How popular is Charlene in the US?

Rank in 2025
#1,942among girls
Babies in 2025
99about 1 in 16,000 girls
Five-year trend
Steadydown 8% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 99 girls in the US were named Charlene, making it the 1,942nd most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,704th. Its busiest year was 1952, with 3,546 girls. It first appears in the records in 1888.

2025 had fewer girls named Charlene than any year since 1914.

Half of all the girls named Charlene in the US since 1880 were born between 1945 and 1967, the years shaded on the chart below.

1888Busiest: 3,546 in 19522025
Charlene in the US, year by year
YearGirlsRank
202599#1,942
2024115#1,753
2023102#1,934
2022111#1,828
2021114#1,780
2020119#1,704
2019111#1,833
2018112#1,813
2017153#1,465
2016147#1,534
2015146#1,532
2014159#1,427
2013116#1,761
2012134#1,612
2011134#1,612
2010136#1,593
2009142#1,584
2008153#1,521
2007182#1,332
2006190#1,260
2005178#1,262
2004202#1,126
2003165#1,266
2002170#1,196
2001168#1,211
2000191#1,079
1999208#988
1998252#845
1997307#702
1996291#720
1995310#686
1994406#569
1993427#558
1992473#508
1991531#460
1990659#395
1989710#361
1988707#350
1987804#304
1986785#306
1985902#277
1984936#261
1983961#244
19821,060#238
19811,003#248
19801,070#240
1979935#258
1978936#253
19771,068#234
19761,081#225
19751,073#226
19741,070#237
19731,206#211
19721,462#195
19711,733#177
19701,983#167
19691,996#163
19681,948#166
19672,076#160
19662,187#159
19652,590#142
19642,807#144
19632,729#149
19622,563#158
19612,834#150
19602,894#148
19592,746#153
19583,067#138
19573,149#136
19563,275#132
19553,301#130
19543,241#126
19533,504#113
19523,546#106
19513,441#103
19503,448#103
19493,541#100
19483,487#105
19473,477#105
19463,037#107
19452,388#114
19442,433#109
19432,354#121
19422,319#117
19412,060#125
19401,686#145
19391,704#139
19381,673#143
19371,581#141
19361,482#145
19351,395#146
19341,344#151
19331,174#156
19321,123#170
19311,008#179
1930987#195
1929932#200
1928854#215
1927833#221
1926581#276
1925587#274
1924449#316
1923390#329
1922332#363
1921318#378
1920294#383
1919233#429
1918248#417
1917203#452
1916169#497
1915133#555
191489#601
191375#594
191261#632
191140#686
191031#768
190928#761
190829#723
190719#871
190611#1,154
190513#1,057
190413#1,001
19036#1,592
19028#1,320
19016#1,466
19006#1,722
18996#1,393
189812#1,009
18970–
18969#1,122
18957#1,299
18940–
18930–
18926#1,278
18910–
18900–
18890–
18885#1,276

Nicknames for Charlene

Names like Charlene

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Billie Alice Michelle Bobbie Connie Constance Holly Louise Emma Bonnie Robyn Christine

Names related to Charlene

Charleen Charlie-Ann Carlene Charline Karlene Carlena Charlynn Charlyn

More Germanic names

Amelia Liam Henry Charlotte William Archie Charlie Freddie Ella Harry Millie Albie Matilda Louie Miles Myles

Every Germanic name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Charlene: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/charlene, updated 20 October 2026.