Charley

Charley is an English name derived from the Old High German element hari or heri, meaning army, combined with licu or related forms, yielding the overall sense of free man or strong warrior, and functions as an informal variant of Charles or Charlotte. The name gained wide use in the English-speaking world partly through the enduring fame of Charlemagne, the medieval Frankish emperor whose Latinized name, Carolus Magnus, spread Charles and its derivatives across Europe. Charley has been used for both males and females, reflecting the historical flexibility of -ley spellings in English nicknames. Related forms include Charlie, Charles, Charlotte, and Carl.