Carl Name Meaning & Origin
Carl
Origin of the name Carl:
Derived from the Old English ceorl (freeman, peasant, man). In the Middle Ages, Carl was used as a nickname for a bondman, villain, or a person of low birth and rude manners. Alternatively, Carl is used as a short form of Carlton. (karl)
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.
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US Popularity of Carl Over Time

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Name Lists Featuring Carl
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark 2014
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden 2014
- German Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Germany 2014
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark, 2010
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden, 2010
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark for 2012.
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden for 2012
- German Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Germany
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden
Contribute your knowledge to the name Carl
- Comments and insights on the name Carl
- Personal experiences with the name Carl
It's been a very good name. Not often mis-spelled. Not really common so that people don't know if it is me that is being mentioned. Common-enough so people don't think it is a weird name. I really liked that I had the same first name as Carl Yastremski (Yaz) since I grew up in MA as a Red Sox fan.
Once of my uncles is called Carl. He really suits his name and I love that it is spelled with a 'C' not a 'K'.
- Nicknames for Carl
Carlos,Carly
- Meanings and history of the name Carl
- Famous real-life people named Carl
Carl Sagan - astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in astronomy and other natural sciences
Carl Barat - British musician
Carl Ballantine – magician, comedian, actor (Gruber in McHale's Navy)
Carl Sandburg - writer/poet
Carl Lewis - 9-time Olympic Gold Medalist
Carl Yastrzemski - baseball player (23 years with Boston Red Sox)
Carl Icahn - billionaire financier
Carl Grimes - The Walking Dead
Carl Jenkinson, English defender for Arsenal FC
Carl Azeus, The host of CNN Student News, or otherwise known as CNN10.- Carl in song, story & screen
Carl Fredricksen, character voiced by Edward Asner in the Pixar film "Up"
"Good Dog, Carl," series of children's picture books written and illustrated by Alexandra Day
Carl, the crude neighbor on Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Carl Porter, son of Jack Porter and Amanda Clarke on "Revenge"
Carl Grimes, the son of the protagonist, Rick Grimes on "The Walking Dead."
Carl Gallagher, middle sibling in "Shameless" and "Shameless US"
Carl, a body guard in the Sound Of Music movie
Carl Lucas, the real name of the superhero Luke Cage
Carl Wheeler, a main character from the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Franchise
Carl Karl, a supporting character from the Disney animated series, Phineas and Ferb