How to say it
SHAR · lit
ˈʃɑr.lət
Feminine
Charlotte
Free woman
What it means
French feminine of Charles, from the Germanic karl. Same etymological root, softened through Old French.
Charlotte arrived in English-speaking use through Queen Charlotte (1761), wife of George III, who brought the German-French royal name into the Hanoverian line. Jane Austen named one of her most observant characters Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice. The modern wave is recent: Princess Charlotte of Wales (born 2015) helped lift the name back into the US top three. Charlotte commonly shortens to Charlie in daily use, a nickname it now shares with the masculine Charles, and to Lottie for a softer feminine form.
How to spell Charlotte
The standard spelling is Charlotte. Common variants include Charlie, Lottie, Carlota, Carlotta, Lotte, but Charlotte is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #2 in 2025, currently #2 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Charlie, Lottie, Char, and Carlie all appear. Charlie has been the dominant short since Princess Charlotte's birth in 2015.
- Pop culture
Princess Charlotte and Charlotte's Web set very different reference frames; both flatter the name.
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.
- Charlotte Brontë Victorian novelist, Jane Eyre
- Princess Charlotte Daughter of Prince William, born 2015
- Charlotte the spider E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, 1952
Spelling variants
- Charlie
- Lottie
- Carlota
- Carlotta
- Lotte
Names with the same feeling
See Charlotte from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Charlotte mean?
- French feminine of Charles, from the Germanic karl. Same etymological root, softened through Old French.
- What does Charlotte mean in French?
- In French, Charlotte means "Free woman." Charlotte arrived in English-speaking use through Queen Charlotte (1761), wife of George III, who brought the German-French royal name into the Hanoverian line. Jane Austen named one of her most observant characters Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice. The modern wave is recent: Princess Charlotte of Wales (born 2015) helped lift the name back into the US top three. Charlotte commonly shortens to Charlie in daily use, a nickname it now shares with the masculine Charles, and to Lottie for a softer feminine form.
- How do you pronounce Charlotte?
- Charlotte is pronounced ˈʃɑr.lət. Say it as SHAR-lit, with the stress on the "shar" syllable.
- How do you spell Charlotte?
- The standard spelling is Charlotte. Common spelling variants include Charlie, Lottie, Carlota, Carlotta, Lotte.
- Is Charlotte a boy or girl name?
- Charlotte is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Charlotte?
- Charlotte ranked #2 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.