Charlene

The girl's name Charlene means 'the free one'. It is an English variant and in the spelling Charlène a French variant of Charline, an old French diminutive of Charles.

What does the name Charlene mean?

The girl's name Charlene means 'the free one'. It is an English variant and in the spelling Charlène a French variant of Charline, an old French diminutive of Charles. Charlene was especially one of the most popular female first names in the English and French-speaking world during the 1980s and 1990s. Charlene is also not an unknown girl's name in Germany, though it is less common in the spelling Charleen. However, the name Charlotte, which is also French and derived from Charles, is significantly more popular. Other variants of Charlene include Charlaine, Charlayne, Charleene, Charlen, Charlena, Charlin, Charlina, Charlyn, Charlyne, Sharleen, and Sharlyn. A well-known bearer of the name is the former South African competitive swimmer and current Princess of Monaco, Charlène Lynette Grimaldi.

Where does the name Charlene come from?

Etymology As a feminine variant of Charles, the first name Charlene also has its roots in the Old German name Karl, the exact origin of which is unclear. The origin likely lies in the Proto-Germanic *karaz (man) or its diminutive form *karlaz (young, little man), which became *karal (man, husband, beloved) in Old High German. From this developed the word 'Kerl', a medieval term for a man/citizen who belonged to a class and was thus neither a slave nor a serf, but rather 'free'. Therefore, the name Karl is often translated as 'the free man' or simply 'the free one', and the girl's name Charlene accordingly as 'the free one'.

How do you pronounce Charlene?

Sound & pronunciation of Charlene: The name Charlene is two syllables and softly rounded. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Schar-lin' [ʃaʁˈleːn], with the emphasis on the second syllable. The open A at the beginning sounds warm. The long E sound in the final syllable gives the name elegance and length in its resonance. Charlene thus appears cultivated and feminine - soft, harmonious, and timeless.

When is the name day of Charlene?

As a feminine variant of Charles/Karl, Charlene also celebrates its name day on January 7, January 28, March 2, June 3, August 12, August 24, October 21, and November 4.

Popularity

Charlene is a popular first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 2,723rd in the list of the most common female baby names. The name reached its best ranking in 2012 at 598th place. In the last ten years, Charlene has been given as a first name about 200 times, placing it 1,591st in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,328th.

Nicknames & pet names

Carlinchen / Cha / Challe / Chani / Char / Charl / Charles / Charley / Charlie / Charliiiiin / Charly / Charlyne / Chläne / Coco / Lea / Lenale / Lene / Lenie / Lin / Ly / Shy

Similar first names

Charlyn

Famous people

• Charlene Almarvez (Model from the Philippines)
• Charlene Choi (Actress from Canada)
• Charlene Costanzo (Author from the USA)
• Charlene Dallas (Portuguese model)
• Charlene Delev (German cyclist)
• Charlene Doofenshmirtz (Character from the series 'Phineas and Ferb')
• Charlene Fernetz (Canadian actress)
• Charlene Holt (Actress from the USA)
• Charlene Kaye (American musician)
• Charlene Keys (American singer)
• Charlene Leonora Smith (Author from America)
• Charlène Lynette Grimaldi (Princess of Monaco)
• Charlene Marilynn D'Angelo (American singer)
• Charlene McKenna (Actress from Ireland)
• Charlene P. Kammerer (American bishop)
• Charlene Pryer (Baseball player from America)
• Charlene Rajendran (Author from Madagascar)
• Charlene Rendina (Australian sprinter)
• Charlene Soraia (English singer)
• Charlene Tagaloa (Volleyball player from America)