How to say it
CAR · los
/ˈkɑr.loʊs/
Masculine
Carlos
Free man
What it means
Spanish form of Charles, from the Germanic karl ('free man'). Carried by five Spanish kings, two Portuguese kings, and a long line of Latin American leaders.
Carlos is the Spanish form of Charles, both from the Germanic karl ('free man'). Five Spanish kings have been Carlos, including Carlos I (the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) and Carlos III, the 18th-century king who modernized Spanish administration. Carlos Santana the guitarist, Carlos Slim the Mexican telecom magnate, and Prince Carlos of Portugal anchor the name in different eras. In the US Carlos has been a steady top-200 name since 1970, particularly common in Latino families. Carl is the rare short; most Carloses keep the full two syllables.
Popularity over time
peaked at #59 in 1999, currently #150 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Carl is the rare short; most Carloses go full. The compound Carlos Eduardo, Carlos Alberto, etc. is its own Spanish naming tradition.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Carlos Santana Mexican-American guitarist, Black Magic Woman and Smooth
- Carlos Slim Mexican telecom magnate, once the world's richest person
- King Carlos III of Spain 18th-century enlightened monarch
Spelling variants
- Charles
- Karl
- Carl
Names with the same feeling
See Carlos from another angle
By meaning
By style