How to say it
CHAR · lee
/ˈtʃɑːr.li/
Feminine
Charlee
Free
What it means
A feminine respelling of Charlie, the short for Charlotte or Charles, from the Germanic for 'free man.'
Charlee is a feminine respelling of Charlie, the friendly short for Charlotte (and Charles), which goes back to the Germanic for 'free man.' The -ee ending rode the wave of nickname-names-for-girls in the 2010s, when Charlie surged as a girl's name. It is breezy and current, sharing the 'free' root with Charlotte. Charley and Charleigh are the cousins.
Popularity over time
peaked at #272 in 2021, currently #417 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
- Spelling
Charlee is the feminine-styled respelling of Charlie; shares the 'free' root with Charlotte.
Spelling variants
- Charlie
- Charley
- Charleigh
Names with the same feeling
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By meaning
By style