Carlos
KAR-los /ˈkɑːr.loʊs/
Meaning of Carlos
Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles, from the Old German karl — 'free man' or 'free-born.' Charles in all its forms (Carlos, Karl, Carlo, Charles, Karel) was the most politically important given name in Western medieval Europe, borne by Charlemagne (748–814 AD) whose Latin name Carolus Magnus ('Charles the Great') gave the name its imperial weight.
How to pronounce Carlos
In Spanish: KAR-los. The final s is always pronounced.
Current popularity of Carlos
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #66 |
| Spain (INE) | 2024 | #11 |
| Mexico (INEGI) | 2024 | #5 |
Notable bearers of Carlos
King Carlos I and II of Spain; Carlos Santana (musician); Carlos Slim (entrepreneur).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Carlos — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
- https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
- https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31