Charles is an impeccable classic – regal and creative at once. Nicknames for Charles are plentiful. Default nickname Charlie is an every-boy staple, while the other go-to, Chuck, feels casual and cool.
But what if you’re after something a little less popular? Formal name Charles ranked #46 in 2020, while Charlie was #204 for boys – and #122 for girls!
Classic given names tend to have lots of potential short forms, and Charles is no exception. If you’re considering naming your son Charles, but want something other than Chuck or Charlie for daily use, this is the list for you!
Arlo – The suggestion that sparked this post! A few years ago, I saw this mentioned on a forum. It seemed so obvious, and yet so much of a stretch, too. But there it is – chARLes. If Carlo is the Italian form, couldn’t Arlo potentially be among the nicknames for Charles? I think it works – though I also think Arlo stands on its own quite nicely.
Cal – When thinking about nicknames for Charles, my mind wandered to nicknames for feminine forms Charlotte and Caroline. If Callie is an accepted short form for Caroline, could Cal be short for Charles? Cal lends the buttoned-down formal name a sort of sporty-cowboy casual cool. And if you love Cal, but can’t embrace Calvin or Calder, then this might be ideal.
Cale – The Hawaiian form of Charles is the green and leafy Kale. Cale might be even more of a stretch than Cal, but the potential is there.
Carl – Strictly speaking, Carl isn’t among the nicknames for Charles – it’s another version of the name, familiar in German, as well as much of Scandinavia. In the US, Carl is out of favor nowadays. But if you’re a Charles looking to reinvent yourself, the capable Carl might be worth a thought. Carl sounds like the kind of guy who takes care of things – your car’s engine, your tax return.
Carlo – If Luca and Matteo are stylish, how about Carlo? It’s an Italian heritage choice with that lively ‘o’ ending. Over the years, plenty of families have put English versions on the birth certificate, but used a heritage choice at home. Your Charles-called-Carlo wouldn’t be the first.
Chas, Chaz -This one has been around for a while. Actor Chazz Palminteri helped put it on the map – though he was born Calogero, not Charles. Chaz has a split personality: one-part prep school student on the crew team, and one-part tough guy. A bonus? In any spelling, Chaz is a familiar short form of the name, even if it isn’t a super-common one.
Chase – Maybe you love modern names, but fear they might be perceived as fleeting. Or maybe your partner is very much a William-James-Joseph kind of namer – then Charles, called Chase, could satisfy. It’s not such a stretch from Chaz to Chase, and while it isn’t traditional, the sounds are clearly there.
Hal – Following the Arlo model and borrowing from Cal, could Hal be a short form of Charles? With Bob a common diminutive of Robert, Hal isn’t so far removed.
Harley – Motorcycle enthusiasts have given this name to their sons – and daughters – over the years. But if you’re concerned that Harley is too daring a name, putting Charles on the birth certificate is a good fallback. It’s just one sound removed from the friendly, enduring Charlie – though Harley has a very different vibe.
Huck – The second name that got me thinking about this post, thanks to a very sharp reader who shortlisted Charles called Huck. And why not? The sounds aren’t quite there, but if you can call Charles Chuck, then Huck seems like an option. After all, Huxley isn’t for everyone, and Huckleberry is for … well, only a handful of truly bold baby namers. Charles is among the safest of possible names to put on your son’s birth certificate if you’re set on finding a formal form of Huck.
What’s your favorite nickname for Charles? Did I miss any possibilities? Do you think some of these work better – or not at all?
Originally published on August 29, 2014, this post was revised and re-posted on July 25, 2019. Additional updates took place on January 30, 2021 and June 2, 2021.
Hal is not such a good choice, because it’s one of the standard nicknames for Henry. (Where Americans might use “Hank”, in England “Hal” is the more common choice.
I know a family of Charles. Charles II is the unexpected Chuck, but Charles III is called Chris and Charles IV is Clint.
Surprised “Chalky” wasn’t mentioned here. I’ve known quite a few down south.
Great list! Believe it or not, another uncommon, unexpected nickname for Charles is Chicky (with an “i”)! 😉
My youngest brother is Charles, but I still call him Chucky! These nicknames for Charles may be helping me in researching my family history to get past one of my road blocks. One of my ancestors is a Carl, so maybe……….he was really a Charles. Thank,s!
I’m a Charlie. I like it. In gradeschool I was called Chili, I got Cha–Cha often enough, A few call me Cee-Dub, due to my initials.
Fun article!
As A Charles, I Find Alot Of My Buddys Use Charlie With Any Number Of Words, Just Recently Ive Been Called, “Charlie Cheesecake”,”Chuckles”,”Cha-Cha”, “Charlito” “Chazzzy J”,”ChuckDeville”,”Choppa” & Ofcourse My Wife’s All Time,#1 Pet Name For Me,The Oft Used(5x Day Min), Affectionately Whispered Classic,”A$$ Hole!” Or If In A Hurry, Just The First Part, Which Coincidently Is Also A Nickname For A Mule Or Donkey I Think! Ahhhh What Can I Say? 20Years & I Still Get All Warm&Fuzzy On The Inside, At The Mere Thought Of Hearing Her Say It! Thx For The Great Takes On My Name!
Hello fellow Chales,
As a Charles myself, I go by Chas and although I love the name, I hate when I’m on the phone with a restaurant and they mistake my name for “Chad” (the worst name on earth) or when someone reads my name as chase, but I don’t mind chase. I have been called Chuckles too; though. Anyways, hope u have a nice life Charles and I wish the best of luck in your future endeavors, no matter what it be–moral or immoral.
Charles is a family name for me, and the current family Charles has monopolized a variety of nicknames: Charlie, Chaz, and Chuck. I still love Charles, though, and Arlo, Carlo, and Huck all seem like such USABLE nicknames while still sounding fresh and interesting.
I meant *Zac/Zach/Zacky
I love love this list. Nice thinking! My longtime fave Charles nick is Cal; I love the suggestion of Huck! It made me think of Hutch, which I now love. Also, when we were considering Charles for one of our boys, I was convinced Zac/Zac/Zacky could work as a nick. It’s got the right sounds! My hubs did not agree.
Chowder (See the movie “Monster House”)
I know two guys with Charles on their birth certificate who go by Chip and another who goes by Chap(py)… which makes me wonder if it started out as a takeoff on Chaplin?
Cal for Charles makes a lot of sense when you consider that the Swedish nickname for Karl is Kalle (it’s pronounced like Kaul-ee, rather than Kal-ee though.)
I like Arlo, Chaz, Harly and Carlo. But I’d use them on their own, not as nicknames for Charles which to me sounds really old-mannish. The association I have is Prince Charles and Charles Manson. Not great at all.