UK name, mostly girls
Charly
A diminutive of Charles or Charlotte, of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 180 boys.
Charly is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Charly popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4686, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 41 births.
This profile covers 410 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 10% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 499 living people in the UK are called Charly. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Charly ranked #4686 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 41 girls were registered as Charly.
- • Charly ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2007.
- • Charly is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 499 living people in the UK are estimated to have Charly as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 69.5% of Charly registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4686
2019
Births in 2019
4
Latest year
Peak year
1999
41 births
Estimated living
499
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Charly
In England and Wales birth records, Charly has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 30.5% of registrations are for boys and 69.5% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Charly registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2005 (17 births)
Charly registered for girls
- Ranked #4,686 in 2019
- 4 girls registered in 2019
- Peak: 1999 (41 births)
Meaning
What does Charly mean?
The name Charly has its roots in the Germanic languages, specifically derived from the Old English name "Ceorl," which means "free man" or "peasant." It is a diminutive form of the name Charles, which itself comes from the Germanic name "Karl," meaning "man" or "husband."
Charly gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and France. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book, a manuscript survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Here, the name is spelled as "Cherli."
In medieval times, Charly was a common name among the lower classes and peasantry, reflecting its origins as a name associated with the free commoners. However, it gradually gained acceptance among the nobility and aristocracy, with several notable figures bearing the name.
One of the earliest famous individuals named Charly was Charly Martel (c. 688-741), a Frankish statesman and military leader who played a pivotal role in halting the Muslim conquest of Western Europe at the Battle of Tours in 732. His victory earned him the epithet "Martel," meaning "the Hammer."
Another historical figure named Charly was Charly the Bold (1433-1477), the last Duke of Burgundy. He was known for his ambitious attempts to establish an independent kingdom in the Low Countries, ultimately leading to his downfall and the end of the House of Valois-Burgundy.
During the Renaissance, the name Charly became more widespread across Europe. One notable bearer was Charly de Blois (c. 1516-1590), a French nobleman and diplomat who served as the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John.
In the 18th century, Charly Cornwallis (1738-1805), a British Army officer and colonial administrator, gained fame for his role in the American Revolutionary War and his later reforms as the Governor-General of India.
In the realm of literature, Charly Dickens (1812-1870), the renowned English novelist, is perhaps one of the most famous individuals named Charly. His works, including "Oliver Twist," "A Christmas Carol," and "Great Expectations," have left an indelible mark on English literature and popular culture.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Charly over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Charly in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Charly, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2019, compared with 41 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Charly by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Charly 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 | #3904 | 50 | 8 |
| 2000s | #1263 | 223 | 10 |
| 1990s | #702 | 137 | 4 |
Geography
Where Charly is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Charly. 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.
Charly ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 2007.
Across the UK
Charly in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#765 in 2020
18 years of NRS records, 81 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#351 in 2007
3 years of NISRA records, 11 total registered
Related
Names similar to Charly
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Charly: questions and answers
How popular is the name Charly in the UK right now?
In 2019, Charly was ranked #4686 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Charly most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 41 babies registered as Charly in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Charly?
A diminutive of Charles or Charlotte, of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
How many people are called Charly in the UK?
A total of 410 babies have been registered as Charly across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 81 more in Scotland and 11 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Charly most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Charly ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #351 in 2007. 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.