Carl

“Free man” — Germanic (Old Norse) origin

Boy's name · #1132 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Carl has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #22 (1894) · 504,827 babies named Carl all-time · 1 in 9,100 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: #91 in Sweden (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 25 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Carls

Carl Linnaeus — Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist (1707–1778)
Carl Friedrich Gauss — German mathematician and physicist (1777–1855)
Carl Jung — Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist (1875–1961)
Carl Sagan — American astrophysicist, cosmologist and author (1934–1996)
Carl Benz — German automotive and engine designer and manufacturer (1844–1929)

Among 14,562 notable people named Carl:

Business leaders appear 2.97× more often than among typical names — e.g. Carl Icahn, American businessman.

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