Carlitos

Meaning of Carlitos

Carlitos, a Spanish masculine given name formed by the diminutive suffix –ito appended to Carlos—itself derived from the Old High German element karl, meaning “free man”—occupies a distinct niche within Iberian onomastics. Phonemically transcribed as /karˈlitos/, it exhibits the trochaic foot and paroxytone accent pattern characteristic of Spanish prosody. An analysis of United States Social Security Administration data shows that Carlitos has maintained a modest yet consistent presence in the top 1,000 male names since the mid-1960s, achieving its highest recorded placement—five occurrences at rank 645—in 1968 and subsequently fluctuating within the 600–900 rank interval; in 2024 it was assigned to nine newborn boys, corresponding to rank 915. This sustained usage underscores the name’s appeal as a culturally resonant choice that bridges Hispanic heritage and Anglo-American naming conventions by combining etymological depth with clear, accessible phonology.

Pronunciation

Spanish

• Pronunced as kar-LEE-tohs (/karˈlitos/)

• Carl
• Carlo
• Carlos
• Carlyle
• Carlisle
• Carlin
• Carlito