| Charles | Henry | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Free man | Home ruler |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | CHARLZ | HEN-ree |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1947 (40,781) | 2025 (12,020) |
| In 2025 | 5,898 | 12,020 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Charles | Henry |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 35,125 | 68,047 |
| 2010s | 70,024 | 92,585 |
| 2000s | 75,334 | 42,760 |
| 1990s | 92,434 | 25,249 |
| 1980s | 131,902 | 20,728 |
| 1970s | 163,021 | 23,511 |
| 1960s | 249,398 | 39,134 |
| 1950s | 361,177 | 62,230 |
| 1940s | 361,772 | 72,488 |
| 1930s | 303,218 | 70,419 |
| 1920s | 298,031 | 104,552 |
| 1910s | 173,535 | 79,667 |
| 1900s | 36,184 | 21,772 |
| 1890s | 36,848 | 21,664 |
| 1880s | 46,656 | 24,139 |
Charles is a Germanic name meaning “free man.” It was borne by Charlemagne — Charles the Great — and by a long line of European kings and emperors.
Henry is a Germanic name meaning “home ruler,” from heim (“home”) and ric (“ruler”). It has been borne by eight English kings.
Henry is more popular than Charles today: about 12,020 US babies were given the name Henry in 2025, compared with 5,898 named Charles.
Charles means Free man (Germanic origin), while Henry means Home ruler (Germanic origin).
In US records, Charles first appears in 1880 and Henry in 1880, so Charles has the longer recorded history.