| Charlotte | Eloise | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Free | Of debated origin, often “healthy, wide” |
| Origin | French | French |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | SHAR-lut | el-oh-EEZ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (13,400) | 2025 (4,251) |
| In 2025 | 13,400 | 4,251 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Charlotte | Eloise |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 78,055 | 18,040 |
| 2010s | 102,488 | 12,235 |
| 2000s | 24,266 | 1,573 |
| 1990s | 9,696 | 359 |
| 1980s | 8,486 | 314 |
| 1970s | 12,513 | 429 |
| 1960s | 24,232 | 1,305 |
| 1950s | 36,997 | 3,676 |
| 1940s | 49,478 | 5,883 |
| 1930s | 34,646 | 7,469 |
| 1920s | 35,752 | 11,922 |
| 1910s | 22,548 | 7,071 |
| 1900s | 6,194 | 1,540 |
| 1890s | 4,771 | 641 |
| 1880s | 3,311 | 242 |
Charlotte is a French feminine diminutive of Charles, from the Germanic for “free man” — so “little free one.” Borne by queens and by the novelist Charlotte Brontë, it is a modern favourite.
A French name of debated roots, linked to Germanic elements for “healthy,” “wide” or “famous.”
Charlotte is more popular than Eloise today: about 13,400 US babies were given the name Charlotte in 2025, compared with 4,251 named Eloise.
Charlotte means Free (French origin), while Eloise means Of debated origin, often “healthy, wide” (French origin).
In US records, Charlotte first appears in 1880 and Eloise in 1880, so Charlotte has the longer recorded history.