Kalle

Kalle is a Scandinavian and Finnish pet form of Karl, which derives from the Old High German word karl, meaning free man or simply man. The name Karl itself spread widely through Europe following the fame of the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, whose Latin name Carolus carried the same root. Kalle has been a common everyday name in Sweden, Finland, and other Nordic countries, and appears in folk culture and literature as a friendly, informal given name. Related forms include Karl, Carl, Carlo, Charles, and the Finnish diminutive Kari.