Charles
Meaning: Its source is ceorl, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Freeholder."
Though not linguistically related, Charles has been historically used as an English version of the Irish Gaelic name Cathaoir.
Origin: "ceorl."
Languages: This boy's name is used in English and French.
Compound Forms: Charles-Louis and Charles-Edouard
Popularity: The name Charles ranked 56th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics, 8th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census and 46th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1994 US Census.
This name is highly rated both on the 1990 U.S. Census list and in state data recording the most popular baby names.
Narrative: The first Holy Roman Emperor, who lived from 742-814, is known to English-speaking students of history as Charlemagne (French for ''Charles the Great.'')
Charlemagne was a powerful Germanic leader who synthesized a relatively ordered society out of the chaos that followed the fall of Rome. He not only united France, but much of central Europe. His widespread fame gave rise to many forms of his name, in many languages.
For example, in Latin he was referred to as Carolus Magnus, and in German as Karl der Grosse. Many of these forms remain popular names in their own right, or have formed the basis for other modern names.
Arts and Music
- Charles Addams (born 1912, died 1988)
American cartoonist.
- The Addams Family (see list of Cartoonists)
- Charles Calhoun
American songwriter.
- Wrote ''''Shake Rattle and Roll'''' and ''''Money Honey'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- Charles Edouard Jeanneret-Gris (Le Corbusier) (born 1887, died 1965)
Swiss architect and writer.
- Known for his planned cities and his use of rough-cast concrete (see list of Miscellaneous Architects)
- 1961 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
- Charles Gounod (born 1818, died 1893)
French composer.
- Composed the opera Romeo and Juliet (see list of Romantic Composers)
- Charles Ives (born 1874, died 1954)
American composer.
- 1947 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
- Composer of orchestral, choral, and chamber music, including Concord Sonata (see list of Composers of the 20th Century)
- Charles Donagh Maginnis
- 1948 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
- Charles Follen McKim
- 1909 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
- Charles Mingus (born 1922, died 1979)
American jazz musician.
- Bass player and composer who used the bass to carry melody (see list of Readers' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
- Charles Willard Moore
- 1991 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
- Charles ''Pee Wee'' Russell (born 1906, died 1969)
American jazz musician.
- Clarinetist (see list of Critics' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
- Charles M. Schulz (born 1922)
American cartoonist.
- Creator of Peanuts (see list of Cartoonists)
- Charles Westover
- Del Shannon (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- Charles W. Wuorinen (born 1938)
American composer.
- 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
Leadership
- Charles Agerau
- French marshal (see list of Generals of the Napoleonic Wars)
- Charles Carroll
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, Maryland (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- Charles W. Coker
- CEO of Fortune 500 company SONOCO Products (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Cornwallis (born 1738, died 1805)
English army officer.
- Surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown in 1781; later viceroy of Ireland and governor-general of India (see list of Miscellaneous Military Leaders)
- Charles F. Crisp
U.S. Representative from Georgia.
- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1891-95 (see list of Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives)
- Charles Crocker (born 1822, died 1888)
American railroad builder and financier.
- President of the Southern Pacific Railroad (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- Charles G. Dawes (born 1865, died 1951)
American statesman. Worked to settle the German reparations issue after World War I.
- 1925 Nobel Prize winner for Peace (see list of Nobel Peace Prize Winners)
- Charles DeGaulle (born 1890, died 1970)
French military leader and statesman.
- Head of the Free French during World War II; president of the Fifth Republic, 1959-69 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Charles W. Field
Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
- General in the Army of Northern Virginia (see list of Some Confederate Generals of the Army of Northern Virginia)
- Charles K. Gifford
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Bank of Boston Corp. (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles A. Gobat (born 1843, died 1914)
Swiss lawyer, statesman and historian. Director of the International Peace Bureau.
- 1902 Nobel Prize winner for Peace (see list of Nobel Peace Prize Winners)
- Charles G. Gordon (born 1833, died 1885)
English army officer.
- Enforced British imperial interests in the Middle East and Far East (see list of Miscellaneous Military Leaders)
- Charles the Great (born 742, died 814)
King of the Franks who conquered much of western Europe. Also known as Charlemagne or Carolus Magnus.
- King of the Franks, 768-814; crowned emperor by the pope in 800 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Charles Evans Hughes (born 1862, died 1948)
American jurist and political figure.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1910-16; Chief Justice, 1930-41 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- Charles E. Hurwitz
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Maxxam (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles I (born 1600, died 1649)
King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1625-49.
- Beheaded as a traitor and public enemy for ruling without Parliament and inciting civil war (see list of British Monarchs)
- Charles II (born 1630, died 1685)
King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1660-85.
- Known as the Merry Monarch (see list of British Monarchs)
- Charles R. Walgreen III (born 1873, died 1939)
American pharmacist and entrepreneur.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Walgreen (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles O. Holliday, Jr.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company E.I. du Pont de Nemours (see list of 2000 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- CEO of Fortune 500 company E.I. du Pont de Nemours (see list of 1999 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles A. Heimbold, Jr.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Bristol-Myers Squibb (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles F. Knight
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Emerson Electric (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Lasalle
Dashing cavalry commander known as ''The Hussar General.''
- Killed in battle during the Napoleonic wars (see list of Generals of the Napoleonic Wars)
- Charles R. Lee
- CEO of Fortune 500 company GTE (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- CEO of Fortune 500 company GTE (see list of 1999 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles A. Lindbergh (born 1902, died 1974)
American aviator. First person to make a nonstop solo transatlantic flight, in 1927.
- Charles E. Merrill (born 1885, died 1956)
American financier.
- Main Street Broker (see list of Twenty innovators who changed the 20th century)
- Founded Merrill Lynch (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- Charles D. Miller
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Avery Dennison (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Eddie Moore
- Killed in civil rights movement May 2, 1964 (see list of Names on the Civil Rights Memorial)
- Charles Stewart Parnell (born 1846, died 1891)
Irish nationalist leader.
- Had significant success in obstructing British policies, until a revelation of adultery cost him popular and parliamentary support (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Charles M. Pigott
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Paccar (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Pinckney (born 1757, died 1824)
American legislator and diplomat.
- Wrote an early draft of the U.S. Constitution (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Charles E. Rice
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Barnett Banks (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Rinehart
- CEO of Fortune 500 company H.F. Ahmanson (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles T. Russell (born 1852, died 1916)
American theologian
- Founded the Jehovah''s Witnesses (see list of Religious Leaders)
- Charles R. Shoemate
- CEO of Fortune 500 company CPC International (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (born 1754, died 1838)
French statesman and excommunicated bishop.
- Served under both Napoleon and Louis XVIII; involved in Revolution of 1830 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Charles, Archduke of Austria and Duke of Teschen (born 1771, died 1847)
Austrian military leader.
- One of the few commanders to wrest victory from Napoleon himself, at the Battle of Aspern in 1809 (see list of Generals of the Napoleonic Wars)
- Charles B. Wang
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Computer Associates International (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Charles E. Whittaker (born 1901, died 1973)
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1957-62 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- Charles E. Wilson (born 1890, died 1961)
American industrialist and statesman.
- President of General Motors, 1941-53; U.S. secretary of defense, 1952-57 (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- Charles W. Yost (born 1907, died 1981)
American polititican.
- U.S. representative to the United Nations, 1969-71 (see list of U.S. Representatives to the United Nations)
Miscellaneous
- Charles Bair
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Boettcher
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Archduke Charles
- Variety of rose (see list of Rose Names)
- Charles W. Chesnutt (born 1858, died 1932)
American short-story writer.
- 1928 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- Charles Coffee
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Colcord
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Collins
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Curtiss
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles DeGaulle (born 1890, died 1970)
French military leader and statesman.
- 1958 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Charles Draper (born 1901, died 1987)
American aeronautical engineer.
- 1960 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Charles Richard Drew (born 1904, died 1950)
American physician and surgeon who developed blood-storage technology. Resigned his position with the armed forces in 1942, to protest their policy of storing blood from blacks and whites separately.
- 1944 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- Charles S. Gilpin (born 1878, died 1930)
American actor.
- 1921 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- Charles Goodnight (born 1836, died 1929)
American cattle rancher who laid out the Goodnight-Loving trail from Texas to Wyoming.
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Hamilton Houston (born 1895, died 1950)
American lawyer and civil-rights leader.
- 1950 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- Charles Jesse Jomes
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles A. Lindbergh (born 1902, died 1974)
American aviator. First person to make a nonstop solo transatlantic flight, in 1927.
- 1927 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Charles L. Lowman
- 1974 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Charles H. McLeod
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles M. O'Donel
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles Bruce Orvis
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles M. Russell (born 1864, died 1926)
American Western painter.
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles A. Schreiner
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles M. Schulz (born 1922)
American cartoonist.
- 1996 gross earnings: $15 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
- Charles Springer
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles B. ''Tex'' Thornton (born 1913, died 1981)
American businessman. Founder of Litton Industries, Inc.
- 1981 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Charles H. Tompkins
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Charles H. Townes (born 1915)
American physicist known for his work in the field of quantum electronics.
- 1960 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Charles Young
- 1916 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
Science and Philosophy
- Charles G. Barkla (born 1877, died 1944)
British physicist who studied Rontgen radiation.
- 1917 Nobel Prize winner in Physics (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- Charles A. Beard (born 1874, died 1948)
American historian and educator.
- Wrote American Government and Politics (see list of Historians)
- Charles Darwin (born 1809, died 1882)
British naturalist who developed a theory of evolution based on his observations of flora and fauna in South America.
- Wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (see list of Biological Scientists)
- Charles Stark Draper
American aeronautical engineer.
- 1964 National Medal of Science winner. (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Charles S. Draper
American aeronautical engineer.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Charles Fourier (born 1772, died 1837)
French social scientist and reformer.
- Utopian socialist who devoted himself to the study of society and methods of improving social and economic conditions (see list of Miscellaneous Social Scientists)
- Charles D. Gemar (born 1955)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Atlantis (1990), Discovery (1991), Columbia (1994) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles E. Guillaume (born 1861, died 1938)
Swiss physicist who discovered anomalies in nickel steel alloys.
- 1920 Nobel Prize winner in Physics (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- Charles B. Huggins (born 1901, died 1997)
Canadian-born American surgeon who discovered a link between hormones and certain types of cancer.
- 1966 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine, with Francis Peyton Rous (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Charles A. Bassett II
American astronaut.
- T-38 astronaut killed February 28, 1966 (see list of Names on the Space Mirror Memorial)
- Charles E. Brady, Jr. (born 1951)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Columbia (1996) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles Conrad, Jr. (born 1930, died 1999)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Gemini 5 (1965), Gemini 11 (1966), Apollo 12 (1970), Skylab 2 (1973) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Charles M. Duke, Jr.
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Apollo 16 (1972) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles F. Bolden, Jr.
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Columbia (1986), Discovery (1990, 1994), Atlantis (1992) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles F. Kettering (born 1876, died 1958)
American electrical engineer; president and general manager of General Motors Research Corp.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Charles L.A. Laveran (born 1845, died 1922)
French physician and bacteriologist who discovered the parasite that causes malaria.
- 1907 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Charles A. Lindbergh (born 1902, died 1974)
American aviator. First person to make a nonstop solo transatlantic flight, in 1927.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Charles J.H. Nicolle (born 1866, died 1936)
French physician who discovered that typhus is transmitted by lice.
- 1928 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Charles J. Pedersen
American chemist who created synthetic molecules that behave like organic molecules.
- 1987 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, with Donald Cram and Jean-Marie Lehn (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
- Charles S. Peirce (born 1839, died 1914)
American mathematician and philosopher.
- Founder of Pragmatism (see list of Philosophers)
- Charles J. Precourt (born 1955)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Columbia (1993), Atlantis (1995, 1997) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles R. Richet (born 1850, died 1935)
French physiologist who studied allergic reactions, particularly anaphylaxis.
- 1913 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Charles Scott Sherrington (born 1861, died 1952)
English physiologist known for his studies of neurons.
- 1932 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine, with Edgar Adrian (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- Charles Proteus Steinmetz (born 1865, died 1923)
German-American engineer.
- An authority on suspension bridges (see list of Engineers & Inventors)
- Charles E. Taylor
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- Charles H. Townes (born 1915)
American physicist known for his work in the field of quantum electronics.
- 1964 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with Hikolai Basov and Aleksander Prochorov (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- 1982 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Charles Lacy Veach
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1991), Columbia (1992) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles D. Walker
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1984, 1985), Atlantis (1985) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Charles T. R. Wilson (born 1869, died 1959)
British physicist known for his method of making the paths of electrically charged particles visible by vapor condensation.
- 1927 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with Arthur Compton (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
Sports
- Charles Aldrich
American football player.
- 1939 National Football League number-one draft pick (see list of Football #1 Draft Picks)
- Charles Austin
American Athlete.
- 1996 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for the High Jump (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the High Jump)
- Charles Bacon
American athlete.
- 1908 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m Hurdles (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Hurdles)
- Charles Barkley
- 1992-93 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- Charles ''Chief'' Bender
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles Bennett
British athlete.
- 1900 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 1500m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Track Events)
- Charles Borel
Jockey.
- 1917 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- Charles Carow
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Charles Collier
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Charles A. Comiskey
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles Coody
- 1971 Masters golf tournament winner (see list of Masters Tournament Golf Champions)
- Charles T. Cooper
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Charles Daniels
American athlete.
- 1904 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 200yd and 440yd Freestyle; 1908 winner for 100m Freestyle (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Freestyle Swimming)
- Charles ''Minnie'' Dole
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1977 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- Charles Dumas
American athlete.
- 1956 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for High Jump (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the High Jump)
- Charles Dvorak
American athlete.
- 1904 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Pole Vault (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Field Events)
- Charles ''Chick'' Hafey
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles Hickcox
American athlete.
- 1968 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 200m and 400m Individual Medley (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Individual Medley)
- Charles Jenkins
American athlete.
- 1956 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Track Events)
- Charles Jewtraw
American athlete.
- 1924 Olympic speed skating gold medal winner for 500m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Speed Skating)
- Charles Evans, Jr.
- 1916 U.S. Open golf tournament winner (see list of U.S. Open Golf Champions)
- Charles Kurtsinger
Jockey.
- 1931, 1937 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- 1937 winner of the Triple Crown, riding ''''War Admiral'''' (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Triple Crown)
- Charles Lang
Jockey.
- 1928 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- Charles Mathisen
Norwegian athlete.
- 1936 Olympic speed skating gold medal winner for 1500m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Speed Skating)
- Charles ''Kid'' McCoy (born 1872, died 1940)
Middleweight boxer.
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Old Timer inductees)
- Charles L. Mellor
American runner.
- 1925 Boston Marathon champion (see list of Boston Marathon Winners)
- Charles Moore
American athlete.
- 1952 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m Hurdles (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Hurdles)
- Charles ''Stretch'' Murphy
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Charles ''Kid'' Nichols
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles O'Donnell
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Charles Paddock
American athlete.
- 1920 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 100m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the 100 Meter Sprint)
- Charles ''Old Hoss'' Radbourn
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles Reidpath
American athlete.
- 1912 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Track Events)
- Charles Rigoulot
French athlete.
- 1924 Olympic weightlifting gold medal winner for 82.5kg (see list of Olympic gold medalists in weightlifting)
- Charles ''Red'' Ruffing
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Charles W. Bidwell, Sr.
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1967 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Charles Henry Stanley
- 1845-57 U.S. Chess champion (see list of United States Chess Champions)
- Charles Thompson
Jockey.
- 1921 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- Charles Tickner
- 1978 World Figure Skating champion (see list of World Figure Skating Champions)
- 1977-80 U.S. Figure Skating champion (see list of United States Figure Skating Champions)
- Charles Vinci
American athlete.
- 1956, 1960 Olympic weightlifting gold medal winner for 56kg (see list of Olympic gold medalists in weightlifting)
- Charles White
American football player.
- 1979 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner (see list of Heisman Trophy Winners)
- Charles Woodson
American football player
- 1997 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner (see list of Heisman Trophy Winners)
Stage and Screen
- Charles ''Chachi'' Arcola
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Scott Baio (see list of Characters on ''Happy Days'')
- Charles Bickford (born 1889, died 1967)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Boyer (born 1899, died 1978)
French actor.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Bronson (born 1922)
American actor. Original name: Charles Buchinsky.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Burns
Cartoon character.
- Voice by Harry Shearer (see list of Characters on ''The Simpsons'')
- Charles Butterworth
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles
- Portrayed by Paul Whitsun-Jones (see list of Characters on ''The Avengers'')
- Charles
Fictional character.
- From ''''Duckman'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Charles Christie
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Coburn (born 1877, died 1961)
American actor.
- 1943 Academy Award winner for his performance in The More the Merrier (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Supporting Actor)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Correll (born 1890, died 1972)
American comedian who played Andy on the ''Amos and Andy'' radio comedy show.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Cyphers
- Portrayed Drake (see list of Actors on ''Roots'')
- Charles Farrell (born 1901, died 1990)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Ferry
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Tim Roth (see list of Characters in the film Everyone Says I Love You)
- Charles Fleischer (born 1950)
- Portrayed Carvelli from 1978-79 (see list of Actors on ''Welcome Back, Kotter'')
- Charles Fries (born 1928)
American producer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Dr. Charles Grant
Fictional character.
- Character on soap opera ''''Guiding Light'''' (see list of Characters on ''Guiding Light'')
- Charles Grodin (born 1935)
American actor.
- Television talk-show host. (see list of Talk Show Hosts)
- Charles Haid (born 1943)
American actor.
- Portrayed Officer Andy Renko (see list of Actors on ''Hill Street Blues'')
- Charles Hartman
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''Loving'''' (see list of Characters on the Soap Opera ''Loving'')
- Charles Emerson Winchester III
Fictional character.
- Protrayed by David Ogden Stiers (see list of Characters on ''M*A*S*H*'')
- Charles Phillip Ingalls (born 1836, died 1902)
American pioneer; father of author Laura Ingalls Wilder.
- Portrayed by Michael Landon (see list of Characters on ''Little House on the Prairie'')
- Charles Keating
- Actor on soap opera ''''Another World'''' (see list of Performers on ''Another World'')
- Charles Kimbrough
American actor.
- Portrays Jim Dial (see list of Actors on ''Murphy Brown'')
- Charles Koslow
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Richard Litt (see list of Characters in the film Zelig)
- Charles Laughton (born 1899, died 1962)
English actor, writer, director and producer.
- 1933 Academy Award winner for his performance in The Private Life of Henry VIII (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actor)
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles McGraw (born 1914, died 1980)
American actor and writer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Perez
- Television talk-show host (see list of Talk Show Hosts)
- Charles Ray (born 1891, died 1943)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Rocket
Comedian.
- A cast member on ''''Saturday Night Live,'''' from 1980-1981 (see list of Saturday Night Live)
- Charles Ruggles (born 1876, died 1971)
American composer and artist.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Vanel (born 1892, died 1989)
French actor.
- Winner of the 1953 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award, for The Wages of Fear (see list of Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Winners)
- Charles Vidor
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Charles Walters (born 1903, died 1982)
American director.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Charles McLean Andrews (born 1863, died 1943)
American historian.
- 1935 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for The Colonial Period of American History (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- Charles L. Bartlett
- 1956 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting)
- Charles Baudelaire (born 1821, died 1867)
French poet.
- Wrote The Flowers of Evil (see list of Poets of the Victorian Era)
- Charles D. Campion
Fictional character.
- A security guard in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
- Charles Causley (born 1917)
English poet.
- Wrote ''''Armistice Day'''' (see list of Poets of the 20th Century)
- Charles
- The name of a wrestler in As You Like It and also the name of various grandees in Shakespeare''s history plays (see list of Shakespearean Characters)
- Charles Dickens (born 1812, died 1870)
English novelist.
- Wrote David Copperfield (see list of Prose Writers of the Victorian Era)
- Charles Finger
- 1925 Newbery Medal winner, for Tales From Silver Lands (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- Charles Frazier
American writer.
- 1997 National Book Award winner for Fiction, for Cold Mountain (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Fiction)
- Charles Fuller (born 1939)
American playwright.
- 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for A Soldier''s Play (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- Charles Gordone (born 1925, died 1995)
American playwright.
- 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for No Place to Be Somebody (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- Charles Hamilton
Fictional character.
- One of Scarlett''s husbands in Margaret Mitchell''s Gone with the Wind (see list of Characters in Literature of the American South)
- Charles J. Hanley
- 2000 Pulitzer Prize winner with Sang-Hun Choe and Martha Mendoza for Investigative Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting)
- Charles Hawes
- 1924 Newbery Medal winner, for The Dark Frigate (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- Charles Porter IV
- 1996 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- Charles Johnson (born 1948)
American author.
- 1990 National Book Award winner for Fiction, for The Middle Passage (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Fiction)
- Charles Krauthammer
- 1987 Pulitzer Prize winner for Commentary (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary)
- Charles Kuralt (born 1934, died 1997)
American broadcast journalist.
- Author of the 1990 nonfiction best-seller A Life on the Road (see list of Bestselling Nonfiction Authors in the U.S.)
- Charles Lamb (born 1775, died 1834)
English poet and essayist.
- Wrote Essays of Elia (see list of Writers of the Romantic Period (1785-1830))
- Charles A. Lindbergh (born 1902, died 1974)
American aviator. First person to make a nonstop solo transatlantic flight, in 1927.
- 1954 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for The Spirit of St. Louis (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- Charles Macauley
- 1930 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Cartooning (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning)
- Charles Howard McIlwain (born 1871, died 1968)
American historian and political scientist.
- 1924 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for The American Revolution: A Constitutional Interpretation (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- Charles Paris
Fictional detective.
- Created by author Simon Brett (see list of Fictional Detectives)
- Charles Payson
Fictional character.
- A shop (experiment facility) agent in Stephen King''s novel Firestarter (see list of Characters in Firestarter)
- Charles Reechul
Fictional character.
- Naomi''s father, a farmer in Stephen King''s The Eyes of the Dragon (see list of Characters in The Eyes of the Dragon)
- Charles G. Ross
- 1932 Pulitzer Prize winner for Correspondence (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence)
- Charles Edward Russell
- 1928 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for The American Orchestra and Theodore Thomas (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- Charles Ryckman
- 1931 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- Charles M. Schulz (born 1922)
American cartoonist.
- Author of the 1963 nonfiction best-seller Happiness is a Warm Puppy (see list of Bestselling Nonfiction Authors in the U.S.)
- Charles Simic (born 1938)
American poet and translator.
- 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for The World Doesn''t End (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- Charles Stafford
- 1980 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting)
- Charles P. Trussell
- 1949 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting)
- Charles Warren (born 1868, died 1954)
American historian.
- 1923 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for The Supreme Court in United States History (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- Charles G. Werner
- 1939 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Cartooning (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning)
- Charles Wibbelsman
- Author of The New Teenage Body Book (see list of Authors of some of the most frequently banned books between 1990-99, in the United States)
- Charles Kenneth Williams
- 2000 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- Charles Wright (born 1935)
American poet.
- 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Black Zodiac (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- 1984 National Book Award winner for Poetry, for Country Music (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Poetry)
- Charles Yorkin
Fictional character.
- A janitor in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Charlie Brown
- Chuck Wagon
- Chuck Roast
- Chung-King
- Chuckles
- Charlie Tuna
- Charlie Horse
- Upchuck
- Chuck Steak
- Chazmanian Devil
Associations:
''Charlies'' is a slang term for breasts.
''Charlie's dead'' is a phrase used by British schoolchildren when one's underwear is showing.
''Charlie Irvine'' and ''Charlie Goon'' are slang terms for police officers.
In African-American slang, to ''blow Charlie'' is to snort cocaine.
''Charlie'' is an African-American slang term for a white man.
''Charlie'' is a British slang term for a fool, or for something cheap and tasteless.
Charlie Brown, star of the ''Peanuts'' comic strip, was created by Charles Schultz in 1950
Charlie Chan is the name of a fictional Chinese detective created by Earl Derr Biggers.
''Charlie Farnsbarn'' is used as a substitute for an unremembered name.
''Checkpoint Charlie'' was the nickname of a border checkpoint in the now demolished Berlin Wall.
''Victor Charlie'' was the U.S. military designation for the V.C., or Viet Cong, during the Vietnam War, following the military and law-enforcement practice of using full words to clarify single letters during radio transmission.
A ''good-time Charley'' is a man who is interested only in having fun.
Meaning: Its source is ceorl, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Freeholder."
Origin: "ceorl."
Variant Forms: Charlize
Popularity: The name Charles ranked 1254th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.
This name is usually reserved for males. To some extent, it may owe its position on the US Census popularity list to incorrectly filled-out census forms.
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