Charley

Unisex · CHAR-lee · Germanic

UnisexBig in ScotlandBig in Northern Ireland

Charley is a name of Germanic origin, meaning “free man”. In 2025 it ranked 1,570th for girls in the UK (20 babies) and 760th for girls in the US (356 babies).

What does Charley mean?

Germanic: spelling of Charlie, a pet form of Charles

“free man”

A variant spelling of Charlie, used for both boys and girls.

Say it: CHAR-lee

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

In recent years, Charley has been given to both girls and boys. In 2025, it was given to 20 girls and 3 boys in the UK and 356 girls and 87 boys in the US.

How popular is Charley in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #1,570among girls
Babies in 2025: 20about 1 in 14,000 girls
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 58% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 20 girls in the UK were named Charley, making it the 1,570th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 925th. Its busiest year was 1999, with 355 girls. 3 boys were also named Charley in 2025 (5,065th for boys).

2025 had the fewest girls named Charley since the records began in 1996.

Half of all the girls named Charley in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2010. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

In 2025, 96 girls in the UK were given Charley or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #458, up from #1,570 for this spelling alone.

Charlie 63
Charley 20
Charli 9
Charleigh 4

In 2025, 87% of the babies named Charley in the UK were girls.

Among girls in 2025, it was 1,512th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 355 in 19992025

Charley in the UK, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	20	#1,570
2024	29	#1,208
2023	27	#1,285
2022	32	#1,118
2021	47	#833
2020	41	#925
2019	59	#718
2018	81	#569
2017	74	#620
2016	79	#585
2015	110	#445
2014	138	#366
2013	151	#344
2012	178	#312
2011	179	#305
2010	228	#249
2009	211	#257
2008	242	#238
2007	325	#190
2006	315	#187
2005	269	#202
2004	268	#199
2003	285	#188
2002	248	#188
2001	256	#184
2000	315	#161
1999	355	#146
1998	336	#156
1997	332	#156
1996	271	#181

How popular is Charley in the US?

Rank in 2025: #760among girls
Babies in 2025: 356about 1 in 4,500 girls
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 32% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 356 girls in the US were named Charley, making it the 760th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 537th. Its busiest year was 2014, with 641 girls. It first appears in the records in 1901. 87 boys were also named Charley in 2025 (1,826th for boys).

It has been given to fewer girls each year for the last 5 years. 2025 had fewer girls named Charley than any year since 2010.

Half of all the girls named Charley in the US since 1880 were born between 2007 and 2019, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 4,266 girls in the US were given Charley or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #63, up from #760 for this spelling alone.

Charlie 2,160
Charlee 750
Charli 597
Charley 356
Charleigh 337
Charly 48
Charlii 6
Charlea 6

In 1901, 4% of the babies named Charley in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 80%, with more girls than boys since 1991.

1901Busiest: 641 in 20142025

Charley in the US, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	356	#760
2024	386	#730
2023	388	#723
2022	421	#700
2021	480	#617
2020	561	#537
2019	552	#551
2018	553	#563
2017	611	#514
2016	560	#557
2015	604	#520
2014	641	#489
2013	578	#515
2012	484	#596
2011	462	#625
2010	324	#827
2009	279	#958
2008	263	#1,005
2007	239	#1,088
2006	226	#1,107
2005	192	#1,191
2004	168	#1,272
2003	122	#1,578
2002	93	#1,895
2001	73	#2,207
2000	73	#2,170
1999	78	#1,996
1998	90	#1,749
1997	80	#1,842
1996	69	#2,012
1995	60	#2,211
1994	60	#2,204
1993	52	#2,412
1992	59	#2,234
1991	51	#2,443
1990	56	#2,253
1989	63	#1,993
1988	62	#1,948
1987	63	#1,837
1986	54	#2,002
1985	46	#2,221
1984	26	#3,232
1983	19	#3,948
1982	17	#4,346
1981	23	#3,532
1980	15	#4,742
1979	17	#4,230
1978	18	#3,924
1977	14	#4,651
1976	11	#5,213
1975	9	#5,982
1974	0	–
1973	0	–
1972	0	–
1971	6	#7,386
1970	0	–
1969	0	–
1968	6	#6,244
1967	0	–
1966	0	–
1965	0	–
1964	5	#6,766
1963	0	–
1962	0	–
1961	0	–
1960	0	–
1959	0	–
1958	0	–
1957	9	#4,201
1956	0	–
1955	7	#4,739
1954	5	#5,751
1953	6	#5,039
1952	6	#4,906
1951	10	#3,481
1950	9	#3,660
1949	11	#3,175
1948	10	#3,349
1947	10	#3,446
1946	0	–
1945	8	#3,386
1944	12	#2,624
1943	19	#1,993
1942	6	#4,122
1941	13	#2,396
1940	13	#2,296
1939	10	#2,734
1938	13	#2,340
1937	13	#2,317
1936	11	#2,520
1935	19	#1,779
1934	14	#2,186
1933	9	#2,867
1932	18	#1,876
1931	13	#2,306
1930	11	#2,689
1929	18	#1,952
1928	17	#2,093
1927	14	#2,432
1926	12	#2,707
1925	22	#1,846
1924	16	#2,307
1923	11	#2,916
1922	9	#3,377
1921	16	#2,282
1920	18	#2,079
1919	14	#2,384
1918	8	#3,511
1917	12	#2,551
1916	16	#2,028
1915	12	#2,383
1914	9	#2,433
1913	0	–
1912	0	–
1911	0	–
1910	8	#1,773
1909	5	#2,208
1908	0	–
1907	0	–
1906	0	–
1905	0	–
1904	0	–
1903	0	–
1902	0	–
1901	7	#1,339

Names like Charley

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

Chloe Aubrey Ellie Zoe Emma Lily Tilly Molly Emily Jasmine Sydney Hannah

Other spellings of Charley

Charlie Charli Charleigh Charlee Charly Charlii Charlea Charliee

Names related to Charley

Carly Carlie Carley Carlee

More Germanic names

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