Carlos
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Carlos
The origin of Carlos is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Spanish roots, with the meaning “Free man”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Carlos we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a classic feel. In 2025, Carlos ranked #150 for boys in the US, with 2,418 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2001. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Carlos were boys.
- US rank 2025
- #150
- In 2015
- #118
- Babies in 2025
- 2,418
Popularity of Carlos, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Carlos
- Carlitos
Names similar to Carlos
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.