NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Carli

A feminine diminutive of the name Caroline, potentially derived from the Germanic name Karl meaning "man".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Carli is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Carli popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5742, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 12 births.

This profile covers 65 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1996 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 114 living people in the UK are called Carli. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2014 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Carli ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 12 girls were registered as Carli.
  • Carli ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #665 in 2012.
  • About 114 living people in the UK are estimated to have Carli as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5742

2013

Births in 2013

3

Latest year

Peak year

1998

12 births

Estimated living

114

2026

Meaning

What does Carli mean?

The name Carli is a diminutive form of the masculine name Carlo, which is the Italian variation of the German name Karl. Karl is derived from the Germanic name Karlaz, which means "free man" or "peasant." The name Karlaz is a compound of the words "karl," meaning "man," and "az," meaning "noble." The name Karl has been popular in various cultures and regions for centuries.

The name Carli gained popularity in Italy during the Middle Ages. It was commonly used as a nickname for Carlo or as a standalone name. In Italian culture, the name Carli is often associated with strength, determination, and resilience.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carli can be found in the writings of the Italian Renaissance scholar and humanist, Carlo Marsuppini (1399-1453). Marsuppini was a renowned scholar and teacher who played a significant role in the revival of classical learning during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure with the name Carli was the Italian economist and philosopher, Gian Rinaldo Carli (1720-1795). Carli made significant contributions to the study of economics and numismatics, and his works on money and trade were highly influential in his time.

In the realm of art, the Italian painter Carli Dolci (1616-1686) was a prominent figure of the Baroque period. Dolci was renowned for his religious paintings, which were characterized by their delicate and meticulous brushwork.

Moving to the literary world, the Italian writer and poet, Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793), is considered one of the most significant figures in the history of Italian theater. Goldoni's comedies were instrumental in reforming the Italian theater and establishing a new genre of realistic, middle-class drama.

Lastly, in the field of music, the Italian composer and conductor, Carlo Maria Giulini (1914-2005), was celebrated for his interpretations of the works of Brahms, Beethoven, and Verdi. Giulini's performances were renowned for their emotional depth and nuanced expressiveness.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Carli over time

The chart below shows babies named Carli registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Carli, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 12 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Carli
036912199620042013

Decades

Carli by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Carli was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5725 6 2
2000s #3435 28 5
1990s #2399 31 4

Geography

Where Carli is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Carli. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Carli ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #665 in 2012.

Scotland
4

Across the UK

Carli in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#665 in 2012

12 years of NRS records, 50 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Carli

  • Carli Norris

    actor; film actor

    English actress

    1974-

Related

Names similar to Carli

FAQ

Carli: questions and answers

How popular is the name Carli in the UK right now?

In 2013, Carli was ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Carli most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 12 babies registered as Carli in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Carli?

A feminine diminutive of the name Caroline, potentially derived from the Germanic name Karl meaning "man".

How many people are called Carli in the UK?

A total of 65 babies have been registered as Carli across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 50 more in Scotland.

Where is Carli most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Carli ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #665 in 2012. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.