Karl Name Meaning, Origin, History, And Popularity

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Karl

The masculine name Karl has German origins with diverse etymologies. This name is widely believed to be derived from the Proto-Germanic term karlaz or the Germanic term karal, both of which translate to ‘man.’ Alternatively, it is also believed to have originated from the Old High German term heri, which means ‘warrior’ or ‘army.’ Karl is also a German and Scandinavian variant of the French and English name Charles, which comes from the Proto-Germanic name karilaz, meaning ‘free man’ or ‘little man.’

On another note, the name Karl also appears in two mythologies. One of these is Norse mythology, in which Karl is regarded as the ancestor of peasants (churl or freeman) since he was one of the three sons of the Norse god Ríg or Rígr, responsible for the creation of the social classes of humankind (1). Furthermore, in Icelandic mythology, Karl was recounted as one of the nocturnal giants who were turned into stone after being astonished by the bright rays of dawn while crossing the fjord near Drangey Island.

As the name dates back to ancient times, the name Karl has undergone multiple transliterations, including Carl, Carel, Carolus, Caroll, Caryll, Carlos, Carlyle, Carrlos, Kaarle, Kaarlo, Karel, Karlen, and Karlin. Moreover, thanks to its short and sweet stature, you don’t need to look for additional nicknames for this moniker.

In addition to various monarchs, the name Karl is also adopted by a number of fictional characters, including the raptor’s electronic warfare officer, Karl C. Agathon, a supporting fictional character from the American military science fiction TV series Battlestar Galactica. Karl is also the name of the divorce attorney and ex-husband of Susan Mayer from the ABC TV series Desperate Housewives. Furthermore, the main antagonist in the 1977 James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me is identified by the name Karl Stromberg. Children will adore this name as it is also shared by the first Marvel Comics supervillain, Flag-Smasher, as well as the fictional Black Cat mayor from the Black Cat manga series.

Karl

Meaning Free man; Manly

Gender Boy

Religion Christianity

Origin Germanic

Lucky Number 6

Syllables One

Length 1 word, 4 letters, 1 vowel, 3 consonants

Type Short and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Karl?

Pronounced as karl

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Karl in German.

Famous People With The Name Karl

Karl der GroßeAlso known as Charles the Great or Charlemagne, he was a Frankish king and the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
Karl I of AustriaEmperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia, and the last monarch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to rule over Austria-Hungary.
Karl MarxA German philosopher, economist, political theorist, historian, and revolutionary socialist best known for authoring Das Kapital and co-authoring The Communist Manifesto.
Karl LagerfeldA German fashion designer known for being the creative director of the luxury fashion houses Chanel and Fendi.
Karl LandsteinerNobel-prize-winning Austrian-American scientist who distinguished the main blood groups, identified the Rhesus factor, and discovered the Polio virus. He is also known as the father of transfusion medicine.
Karl Ludwig August Friedrich Maximilian Alfred, Freiherr von Prel19th-century German philosopher and writer on mysticism and the occult.
Karl BeckersachsGerman stage and movie actor best known for his roles in His Majesty the Hypochondriac (1918) and Midnight (1918).

Karl On The Popularity Chart

Check out the following graphs to monitor the progress of the name’s popularity over the years.

Popularity Over Time

According to US Social Security Administration data, this name has experienced a significant decline in popularity since 1989. To know more about its popularity, analyze the graph listed below.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

The listed graph readily illustrates the name’s ranking over the course of four decades. Hover your cursor over the trendline to track the ranking’s progress.

Source: Social Security Administration

Names With Similar Sound As Karl

Here are a few suggestions if you’re looking for more names with similar phonetic characteristics as Karl.

Kaarel

Song	Artist
Karl Alfred, I'm Popeye the sailor man	Phoenix Hills

Acrostic Poem On Karl

Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Karl with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?

Known for your radiance and sunshine-like positivity.

Affectionate heart, you speak through loving actions.

Reflecting radiance and practicing resilience.

Lively soul illuminated with joyous laughter.

Karl’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name karl. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)	Mithun (Gemini)
Starting letters for Mithun (Gemini) rashi	K, CHH, GH, Q, C
Representation	Twins
Element	Air
Ruling body	Mercury
Quality	Dual (dvisvabhava)

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Mithun (Gemini) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

Nakshatra	Degrees Of The Nakshatra	Nakshatra Lord (Ruler)	Name Syllables
Mrigashira (Makayiram, Mrigasira)	Gemini (0 to 6.40 degrees)	Mars	Ve, Vo, Ka, Kaa, Ki, Kee, We, Wo
Ardra (Arudra, Thiruvadhirai)	Gemini (6.40 to 20 degrees)	Rahu	Ku, Kam, Ja, Cha, Gha, Da, Na, Jha
Punarvasu (Punartham, Punarpoosam)	Gemini (20 to 30 degrees)	Jupiter	Ke, Kay, Ko, Ha, Hi, Hee

Infographic: Know The Name Karl‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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Karl In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Karl in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Karl, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

Name	Language	Code
Karl	English	en
卡尔	Chinese	zh-CN
कार्ल	Hindi	hi
Karl	Spanish	es
Karl	French	fr
كارل	Arabic	ar
কার্ল	Bengali	bn
Karl	Portuguese	pt
Карл	Russian	ru
کارل	Urdu	ur
Karl	Indonesian	id
Karl	German	de
カール	Japanese	ja
कार्ल	Marathi	mr
కార్ల్	Telugu	te
Karl	Turkish	tr
கார்ல்	Tamil	ta
Karl	Vietnamese	vi
Karl	Tagalog	tl
칼	Korean	ko
Karl	Hausa	ha
Karl	Swahili	sw
Karl	Javanese	jv
Karl	Italian	it
ਕਾਰਲ	Punjabi	pa
કાર્લ	Gujarati	gu
คาร์ล	Thai	th
ಕಾರ್ಲ್	Kannada	kn
ካርል	Amharic	am
कार्ल	Bhojpuri	bho
Karl	Yoruba	yo

How To Communicate The Name Karl In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

karl

In Sign Language

karl

In Braille Alphabet

karl

In Morse Code

karl

Name Numerology For Karl

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Karl, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing Karl

Read through our baby name lists that include the name Karl and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Karl

Discover the presence of Karl in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie title	Other titles	Release year
A Christmas Tale	Das wundersame Weihnachtsfest des Karl-Bertil Jonsson, Fortellingen om Karl Bertil Jonssons julaften, Historien om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julaften, Karácsonyi mese, Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton, Świąteczny cud, Tarina Karl-Bertil Jonssonin jouluaatosta, Волшебная сказка на Рождество	2021
Je Suis Karl	Benim Adım Karl, Tôi là Karl, Я - Карл, كلّنا كارل, カールと共に, 新欧洲计划	2021
My Friend Karl		2020
The Last Wolf: Karl Edward Wagner		2020
The Young Karl Marx	Az ifjú Karl Marx, Den unge Karl Marx, Der junge Karl Marx, El joven Karl Marx, Genç Karl Marx, Il giovane Karl Marx, Le jeune Karl Marx, Mladi Karl Marx, Młody Karol Marks, O Jovem Karl Marx, Όταν ο Μαρξ συνάντησε τον Ένγκελς, Младият Карл Маркс, Молодой Карл Маркс, マルクス・エンゲルス, 青年马克思	2017
Magical Mystery or: The Return of Karl Schmidt	Magical Mystery, Magical Mystery oder: die Rückkehr des Karl Schmidt, Волшебная тайна, или возвращение Карла Шмидта	2017
Karl Marx City	Karl Marx Stadt, Карл-Маркс-Штадт	2016
Karl Rove, I Love You	Karl Rove, I Love You	2007

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name Karl?

The name Karl means free man, and manly.

2. What is the origin of the name Karl?

Karl has a Germanic origin.

3. How to pronounce the name Karl?

Karl is pronounced as karl.

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