Total births
184,280
Unisex name · since 1880
Charlie
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 184,280 babies named Charlie, peaking in 1919. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #176
- among boys today
- 184,280
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
184,280 babies have been named Charlie since 1880, making it today's #176 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Charlie recorded 184,280 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #176 nationally today, ahead of 99% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #176 among boys today
- 184,280 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 99% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Charlie is currently the #176 unisex name in America, more common than 99% of boys - 184,280 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #176
- among boys today
- 184,280
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
Charlie vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#176
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Charlie was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
2,891 babies were named Charlie in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
How Charlie compares
184,280 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Charlie's all-time total is 502x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Charlie | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 184,280 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 2,891 | 23 | 22,252 |
Charlie's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Charlie's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 40% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 60%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1993, with only 441 births recorded -- set against the 1919 peak of 2,891, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Charlie at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1919
Current rank
#176
Active since
1880
Charlie popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1919)
- 2,891
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Charlie popularity over time - girls
40,359 total births recorded since 1881 (Charlie as girls' name)
Charlie by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Charlie's strongest decade.
25,176 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Charlie births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 7,091
1880s
7,091 births
- 1890s 7,261
1890s
7,261 births
- 1900s 7,928
1900s
7,928 births
- 1910s
1910s
19,834 births
- 1920s
1920s
25,176 births
- 1930s
1930s
19,154 births
- 1940s
1940s
18,264 births
- 1950s
1950s
15,282 births
- 1960s 10,041
1960s
10,041 births
- 1970s 6,365
1970s
6,365 births
- 1980s 5,465
1980s
5,465 births
- 1990s 4,913
1990s
4,913 births
- 2000s 8,367
2000s
8,367 births
- 2010s
2010s
16,490 births
- 2020s
2020s
12,649 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 25,176 births (14% of all-time use).
How Charlie compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Charlie's total volume
Charlie vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Charlie by state
Where Charlie concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 19,516 | 10.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 14,601 | 7.9% |
| #3 | Texas | | 13,658 | 7.4% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 11,689 | 6.3% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 9,840 | 5.3% |
| #6 | California | | 8,414 | 4.6% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 8,154 | 4.4% |
| #8 | South Carolina | | 7,415 | 4.0% |
Georgia share of Charlie's total US births 10.6%
Even split
19,516 of 184,280 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Charlie appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Charlie? ▼
Charlie has been given to 184,280 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #176 as of the latest data. 2,891 babies were born in 1919, its single highest year.
When was Charlie most popular? ▼
Charlie was most popular in the 1920s decade with 25,176 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Charlie most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Charlie are Georgia (19,516 births), North Carolina (14,601 births), Texas (13,658 births).
Is Charlie a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Charlie is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 184,280 births, and as a girl's name it has 40,359 births.
How long has the name Charlie been used? ▼
Records for Charlie go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Charlie? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Charles, Chad, Chase, Chance, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Charlie's data
- Charlie's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (25,176 total births) through the 2020s (12,649) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Georgia records the most Charlies (19,516 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Charlie
Nearby Names Like Charlie
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Charlie
Charles Boy
#51 2,434,659 births
Chad Boy
#1814 240,728 births
Chase Boy
#173 181,160 births
Chance Boy
#418 54,622 births
Chandler Boy
#736 36,507 births
Compare Charlie side by side: Charlie vs Charles Charlie vs Chad Charlie vs Chase
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Charlie
Max #175
167,458 births · Peak 2009
Kingston #177
46,406 births · Peak 2021
Rhett #174
36,669 births · Peak 2021
Judah #178
35,578 births · Peak 2021
Chase #173
181,160 births · Peak 2009
Felix #179
83,508 births · Peak 2024
Amari #172
31,994 births · Peak 2023
Antonio #180
262,995 births · Peak 1997
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Charlie: #176 Unisex Name - 184,280 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/charlie. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Charlie draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.