Charlie

Charlie is an English pet form of Charles, which derives from the Germanic name Karl, rooted in a word meaning man or free man. The name gained widespread use in medieval Europe largely through the fame of Charlemagne, the eighth-century Frankish emperor whose Latin name Carolus Magnus means Charles the Great. Charlie began as an informal diminutive but has long functioned as an independent given name for both males and females. Related forms include Charles, Charlotte, Carlo, Carlos, and Karl.