Charlotte

Charlotte ~ Free Man ~ French, English 

updated: May 2015

Charlotte, a feminine form of the name Charles, gained fame in England after Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, brought the name to royal status. Queen Charlotte was a patron of the arts and supported both Bach, who was also her music teacher, and Mozart, who dedicated an opus to her. She was known for her art exhibitions and humanitarian efforts, and her name became a very attractive choice among parents in Great Britain and across Europe. In America, a city was named after her, and Charlotte is now the largest city in North Carolina.

The name Charlotte first hit a peak in the U.S. in 1940, when it was number 59. Though it never fell out of use, I think today this name is poised for a comeback. It's got classic appeal and has both southern and European flair.

Popularity
I have to chuckle at what I wrote above, back in 2008. Charlotte is now poised to reach top-10 status in the US. New name statistics for 2014 are due out this week. Until then, Charlotte is currently ranked at #11 and showing a rising trend.

Variations
One of the advantages to this name is that there are many, many variations that are derived from it. Some examples include:

• Carly/Carlie
• Carlotta
• Chara
• Charlene
• Cherlyn
• Lola
• Lolita
• Lottie
• Sharla
• Sherie
• Sheryl
• Tottie

One variation that most people wouldn't count on is "Chuck," the nickname picked for a fictional (and female) character named Charlotte in ABC's Pushing Daisies. Despite the clunky male nickname, Chuck is the beautiful love interest for the main character.

More Famous Charlottes
This name has a history of likable people associated with it, such as Charlotte Bronte, Charlotte Church, a character in a Jane Austen novel, and even the spider from the children's story Charlotte's Web. Another reason this name is gaining ground has nothing to do with a person or character, but a band: Good Charlotte.

Today, of course, the world was informed that the Princess of Cambridge's name is Charlotte. Now that this name is wearing a royal crown in modern times, it's going to continue to thrive.

You don't have to be inspired specifically by a princess, pop-punk, children's stories, or the American city, because Charlotte is a lovely, classic choice with a gorgeous sound.



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