What does Gaia mean?
Gaia names the Greek earth goddess and carries the sense “rejoicing.”
What does Carlotta mean?
Carlotta is the Italian form of Charlotte, “free.”
Gaia vs Carlotta
Which is more popular?
Gaia is more popular than Carlotta today: about 157 US babies were given the name Gaia in 2025, compared with 35 named Carlotta.
| Gaia | Carlotta | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Earth; rejoicing | Free |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | GY-ah | kar-LOT-tah |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1980 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2023 (219) | 1948 (255) |
| In 2025 | 157 | 35 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Gaia
Carlotta
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Gaia | Carlotta |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,133 | 220 |
| 2010s | 836 | 160 |
| 2000s | 317 | 130 |
| 1990s | 116 | 213 |
| 1980s | 32 | 366 |
| 1970s | 0 | 787 |
| 1960s | 0 | 872 |
| 1950s | 0 | 1,286 |
| 1940s | 0 | 1,225 |
| 1930s | 0 | 400 |
| 1920s | 0 | 322 |
| 1910s | 0 | 244 |
| 1900s | 0 | 87 |
| 1890s | 0 | 81 |
| 1880s | 0 | 69 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gaia or Carlotta more popular?
Gaia is more popular than Carlotta today: about 157 US babies were given the name Gaia in 2025, compared with 35 named Carlotta.
What is the difference between Gaia and Carlotta?
Gaia means Earth; rejoicing (Italian origin), while Carlotta means Free (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Gaia or Carlotta?
In US records, Gaia first appears in 1980 and Carlotta in 1880, so Carlotta has the longer recorded history.