UK boy's name
Chas
A diminutive form of Charles of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2008. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Chas is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Chas popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2008 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4432, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 8 births.
This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2008. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Chas. 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 2009 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Chas ranked #4432 for boys in England and Wales in 2008, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 8 boys were registered as Chas.
- • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Chas as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4432
2008
Births in 2008
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
8 births
Estimated living
28
2026
Meaning
What does Chas mean?
The name Chas is a diminutive or shortened form of the more common name Charles, which has its origins in the Germanic languages. Charles is derived from the Old German name Karl, meaning "man" or "husband." The name gained widespread popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly after the reign of Charlemagne, the Frankish King and Holy Roman Emperor from 768 to 814 AD.
The earliest recorded use of the name Chas can be traced back to the 16th century in England. It was often used as a familiar or affectionate form of Charles, particularly among aristocratic families and the upper classes. One notable example is Chas Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who lived from 1484 to 1545 and was a close friend and brother-in-law of King Henry VIII.
In literature, the name Chas appears in various works, including "The Pickwick Papers" by Charles Dickens, where it is used as a nickname for the character Charles Augustus Muffin. William Makepeace Thackeray's novel "Vanity Fair" also features a character named Chas Bayham, a military officer and friend of the main character, Becky Sharp.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the name Chas as a shortened version of Charles. One notable example is Chas Addams, the American cartoonist and creator of the iconic Addams Family characters, who lived from 1912 to 1988. Another is Chas Chandler, the English musician and producer who co-founded the band The Animals and later managed the career of Jimi Hendrix (1938-1996).
In the world of sports, Chas Bongard was a British gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, winning a gold medal in the team combined event. Chas Underhill was an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire and Oxford University in the late 19th century, born in 1857 and died in 1926.
While the name Chas may have fallen out of favor in recent decades, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of historical names, reflecting the enduring influence of the Germanic roots and the cultural significance of the name Charles across various eras and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Chas over time
The chart below shows babies named Chas registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2008. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Chas, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2008, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chas by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Chas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3313 | 11 | 3 |
| 1990s | #1956 | 17 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Chas
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Chas: questions and answers
How popular is the name Chas in the UK right now?
In 2008, Chas was ranked #4432 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Chas most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 8 babies registered as Chas in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Chas?
A diminutive form of Charles of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
How many people are called Chas in the UK?
A total of 28 babies have been registered as Chas across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.