Charlotte

Charlotte is a French diminutive of Carla/Karla and derives from the male name Charles or Carl/Karl.

What does the name Charlotte mean?

Charlotte is a French diminutive of Carla/Karla and derives from the male name Charles or Carl/Karl. The name Charlotte thus has an Old High German origin and means 'the Free'. Its roots lie in the Proto-Germanic *karaz for 'man' or *karlaz for 'young', 'little man', and also in Old High German *karal for 'man', 'husband', 'beloved'. In Germany, the name Charlotte was already very popular at the beginning of the 20th century but then fell out of fashion and was almost forgotten. Since the 1990s, the girl's name Charlotte has been rediscovered in the context of the general trend towards Old German names and has developed into one of the most popular female first names in Germany in recent years. In the French-speaking world as well as throughout the English-speaking world from Great Britain to North America, Charlotte is among the most common and popular girl names. Popular variants of Charlotte include Carlota, Carlotta, Charlot, Charlott, Charlotta, and Karlotta, as well as the short forms Lotta, Lotte, Lotti, and Lottie.

Where does the name Charlotte come from?

Etymology As a feminine diminutive of Charles, the name Charlotte has its origin in the Old High German male first name Karl. Its origin and meaning are still not definitively established. It likely derives from the Proto-Germanic word *karaz (man) or its diminutive form *karlaz (young, little man), which evolved into the Old High German word *karal (man, husband, beloved). In Middle Low German, this developed into the word 'Kerle', a medieval term for citizens who belonged to a class and were thus neither slaves nor serfs, but 'free'. Therefore, the meaning of the name Karl is often interpreted as 'the Free', and the girl's name Charlotte correspondingly as 'the Free'.

How do you pronounce Charlotte?

Sound & Pronunciation of Charlotte: The name Charlotte is two to three syllables and phonetically striking. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Char-lot-te' [ʃaʁˈlɔtə], combining a soft onset with a clearly emphasized middle position. The double consonant creates rhythmic density, and the final '-te' provides a gentle conclusion. Charlotte appears classic and elegant - dignified, structured, and present.

When is the name day of Charlotte?

The name day for Charlotte is July 17 in memory of the beatified Charlotte Thouret, one of the 'Martyrs of Compiègne'.

Popularity

In Germany, the girl's name Charlotte was already among the absolute top group in the late 19th century, reaching the top 10 multiple times, including 5th place in 1893 and 1896, as well as 6th to 10th place in numerous other years. Between 1900 and 1914, it remained consistently in the top 20 and even reached 5th place in 1910, making it one of the defining first names of that era.

Nicknames & pet names

Ancharlotti / Carli / Carls / Carly / Caro / Carottchen / Cece / Cha / Chacha / Chackachacka / Challe / Chalodde / Char / Chari / Charle / Charlett / Charli / Charlie / Charlo / Charlodde / Charlons / Charlottchen / Charlotte die Flotte / Charlotti / Charlotto / Charlottorsch / Charly / Chatta / Chatte / Chilotten / Chlodde / Chlotte / Chlotti / Choschi / Chotte / Chotti / Kalotte / Karlotto / Karotte / Knufflotte / Loddy / Loettchen / Lolla / Lotta / Lottchen / Lotte / Lotte Karotte / Lottel / Lotten / Lottenchen / Lotti / Lotti Karotti / Lotti-Flotti / Lotti-Karotti / Lottie / Lottinka / Motte / Schali / Schalotte / Schlodde / Schloti / Schlottchen / Schlotte / Schlotti / Schlotze / Schrotte / Sprotte / Tschalli / Tscharloddä

Similar first names

Karla, Sharlotte

Famous people

• Charlotte "Lottie" Tomlinson (Influencer, Make-Up Artist, sister of Louis Tomlinson)
• Charlotte (Cece) Drake (Pretty Little Liars)
• Charlotte Aglaé de Bourbon-Orléans (1700–1761), Princess of France and Duchess of Modena
• Charlotte Amalie von Hessen-Kassel (1650–1714), Queen of Denmark and Norway
• Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969), American writer
• Charlotte Augusta von Wales (1796–1817), British princess
• Charlotte Ayanna (* 1976), American actress
• Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer (Actress from Germany)
• Charlotte Britz (Mayor of Saarland)
• Charlotte Bronte (Writer)
• Charlotte Casiraghi (Princess of Monaco, daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco)
• Charlotte Church (British soprano)
• Charlotte Cooper (Bassist of "The Subways")
• Charlotte Cortlandt Ellis (Biologist from the USA)
• Charlotte Dujardin (British dressage rider (2-time gold medalist Olympic 2012))
• Charlotte Edwards (English cricketer)
• Charlotte Elisabeth Grace Roche (Author and presenter)
• Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (Princess of Cambridge)
• Charlotte Engelhardt (Presenter)
• Charlotte Francke-Roesing (Writer from Germany)