Charlotte is a French origin given name that has been popular in many countries around the world for centuries. It is derived from the feminine diminutive of Charles, which itself comes from the Germanic element "karl" meaning "free man". The name Charlotte means "free man's power" or "petite" meaning "small".
The name Charlotte first gained prominence during the Middle Ages in France when it was used as a royal name. It was borne by several queens and princesses, including Charlotte of Saxony who married Francis II of France in 1539, and Charlotte of Bourbon who became queen consort of Portugal in 1610. The name also has ties to the British royal family, with Queen Charlotte being the wife of King George III.
In literature, the name Charlotte is perhaps best known as the title character in Charlotte Brontë's novel "Jane Eyre". In this classic work of English literature, Charlotte is portrayed as a kind and intelligent woman who becomes a mentor and friend to Jane. The name has also been used in other works of literature, such as in Thomas Hardy's novel "The Return of the Native" where it is borne by one of the main characters.
Today, Charlotte continues to be popular as a given name for girls around the world. It has consistently ranked among the top 100 most popular names in many countries, including France, England, and the United States. The name's enduring popularity can perhaps be attributed to its strong historical and literary associations, as well as its classic yet feminine sound.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Charlie has seen a varied trend of popularity over the years in the United States.
From 1941 to 1948, there were fewer than 10 births per year with the name Charlie. However, starting from 1955, the number of births with this name began to increase slightly, reaching its peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The years with the highest number of births for the name Charlie were 1980 and 1981, with 16 and 13 births respectively. This suggests that during this period, Charlie was quite popular as a baby boy's name in the United States.
However, after these peaks, the popularity of the name Charlie began to decline again. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there were fewer than 10 births per year with this name. The most recent data point available is from 2003, which shows that there were only 6 births that year with the name Charlie.
Overall, while Charlie has had periods of popularity over the years in the United States, it has never been one of the most common names for baby boys.