How to say it
CHAR · li
/ˈtʃɑːr.li/
Feminine
Charli
Free man
What it means
A streamlined spelling of Charlie, from Charles and Charlotte, 'free man.'
Charli is the sleek, -i spelling of Charlie, a pet form of Charlotte and Charles, from the Germanic for 'free man.' The look reads modern and distinctly girl. TikTok's Charli D'Amelio and pop star Charli XCX have made the spelling a phenomenon. Said CHAR-lee.
Popularity over time
peaked at #365 in 2021, currently #496 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
A respelling of Charlie; also Charlee.
- Pop culture
Charli D'Amelio; Charli XCX.
Spelling variants
- Charlie
- Charlee
- Charley
Names with the same feeling
See Charli from another angle
By meaning