Editing Charles (section)

==History==

===Early Middle Ages===
The name is atypical for [[Germanic name]]s as it is not composed of two elements, but simply a noun meaning "(free) man". This meaning of ''ceorl'' contrasts with ''[[earl|eorl]]'' (Old Norse ''jarl'') "nobleman" on one hand and with  ''þeow'' (Old Norse ''[[thrall|þræll]]'') "bondsman, slave" on the other. As such it would not seem a likely candidate for the name of a [[Germanic king]], but it is attested as such with [[Cearl of Mercia]] ({{floruit|620}}),  the first Mercian king mentioned by [[Bede]] in his ''[[Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum]]''. It is a peculiarity of the [[Anglo-Saxon genealogies|Anglo-Saxon royal names]] that many of the rulers of the earliest period (6th to 7th centuries) have monothematic (simplex) names, while the standard dithematic (compounded) names become almost universal from the 8th century. Compare the name of King [[Mul of Kent]] (7th century) which simply translates to "mule".

[[Charles Martel]], the son of [[Pepin of Herstal]] and [[Alpaida]], was either illegitimate or the product of a bigamous marriage, and therefore indeed a "free man", but not of noble rank. After his victory at the [[Battle of Soissons (718)]], Charles Martel styled himself [[Duke of the Franks]]. Charles' eldest son was named [[Carloman (mayor of the palace)|Carloman]] ({{circa|710}}{{snd}}754), a rare example of the element ''carl-'' occurring in a compound name. 
The ''[[Chronicle of Fredegar]]'' names an earlier ''Carloman'' as the father of [[Pepin of Landen]], and thus the great-great-grandfather of the Charles Martel. This would place the name ''Carloman'' in the 6th century, and open the possibility that the Frankish name ''Carl'' may originate as a short form of ''Carloman''. The only other compound name with the ''Carl-'' prefix is ''Carlofred'' (''Carlefred''), attested in the 7th century; as a suffix, it occurs in the rare names ''Altcarl'' and ''Gundecarl'' (9th and 11th centuries, respectively).<ref>E. Förstemann, Altdeutsches Namenbuch (1856), s.v. 'Carl' (303).</ref>

[[Charlemagne]] (742–814) was Charles Martel's grandson. After Charlemagne's reign, the name became irrevocably connected with him and his [[Carolingian dynasty]].
After Charlemagne, the name Charles (''Karol'') became even the standard word for "king" in Slavic (Czech and Slovak ''král'', Polish ''król''; South Slavic ''kral'' крал, ''krȃlj'' краљ; Russian король), Baltic (Latvian ''karalis'', Lithuanian ''karalius'') and Hungarian (''király'').

Charlemagne's son [[Charles the Younger]] died without issue, but the name resurfaces repeatedly within the 9th-century Carolingian family tree, so with [[Charles the Bald]] (823–877), [[Charles the Fat]] (839–888) [[Charles of Provence]] (845–863), [[Charles the Child]] (847/848–866) and [[Charles the Simple]] (879–929).

===Later Middle Ages and Early Modern history===
The name survives into the High Middle Ages ([[Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine]]; [[Charles, Count of Valois]]; [[Charles I, Count of Flanders]] (Charles the Good, beatified in 1882); [[Charles I of Naples]]; [[Charles I of Hungary]]). [[Charles VII of Sweden|Karl Sverkersson]] was a king of Sweden in the 12th century, counted as "Charles VII" due to a genealogical fiction of the 17th century by [[Charles IX of Sweden|Charles "IX"]], but actually the first king of Sweden with this name.

Charles resurfaces as a royal name in Germany with [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor]] (1316–1378, counted as "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Fat) and in France with [[Charles IV of France]] (1294–1328, "the fourth" after Charlemagne, Charles the Bald and Charles the Simple), and becomes comparatively widespread in the [[Late Middle Ages]] ([[Charles I, Duke of Savoy]], [[Charles III, Duke of Savoy]]).

[[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] (1500–1558) gives rise to a tradition of Charlses in Habsburg Spain ([[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor]], [[Charles II of Spain]], [[Charles III of Spain]], [[Charles IV of Spain]]).

The numbering scheme for the [[kings of Sweden]] was continued in modern times with [[Charles X Gustav of Sweden|Charles X Gustav]], [[Charles XI of Sweden|Charles XI]],  [[Charles XII of Sweden|Charles XII]], [[Charles XIII of Sweden|Charles XIII]], [[Charles XIV John]] and [[Charles XV of Sweden|Charles XV]].

[[Charles I of England]] (1600–1649) is followed by [[Charles II of England]] (1630–1685). The [[Province of Carolina]] is named during the rule of Charles II, after Charles I.

[[Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine]] (1661–1742).

===Modern history===
[[Carlism]] is a political movement in [[Spain]] seeking the establishment of a separate line of the [[House of Bourbon|Bourbon]] family on the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish throne]]. This line descended from [[Infante Carlos, Count of Molina]] (1788–1855), and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread dissatisfaction with the Alfonsine line of the [[House of Bourbon]]. The movement was at its strongest in the 1830s, causing the [[Carlist Wars]], and had a revival following Spain's defeat in the [[Spanish–American War]] in 1898, and lasted until the end of the [[Francisco Franco|Franco]] regime in 1975 as a social and political force

[[Charles Floyd (explorer)|Charles Floyd]] (1782–1804) was the only casualty  in the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]. [[Charles DeRudio]] (1832–1910) was an Italian aristocrat, would-be assassin of [[Napoleon III]], and later a career U.S. Army officer who fought in the [[7th U.S. Cavalry]] at the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn]]. [[Charles Albert Varnum]] (1849–1936) was the commander of the scouts in the Little Bighorn Campaign and received the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions in a conflict following the [[Battle of Wounded Knee]].
[[Charley Reynolds|"Lonesome" Charley Reynolds]] (1842–1876) was a scout in the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment who was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

''Carl'' has been a very popular male given name in the United States during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, consistently ranking in the top 30 male given names in the US from 1887 to 1938, and remaining among the top 100 until the 1980s, but since declining below rank 500. ''Charles'' has always been among the top 100 names in the U.S. since records started in 1880.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charles|url=https://www.behindthename.com/name/charles/top/united-states|website=Behind the Name|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref> In addition, it is among the top 100 names given in England and Wales; the current [[King of the United Kingdom]] and the other Commonwealth realms, [[Charles III]], is a notable bearer of the name. In 2022, it was the 26th most popular name given to boys in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014701|title=Table 17-10-0147-01  First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators (Number)|website=Statistics Canada|access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref>