Carlos
Meaning of Carlos
Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles, from the Germanic name Karl, which is generally taken to mean "man" or "free man." In Spanish it is pronounced KAHR-lohs, with the stress on the first syllable.
Several kings of Spain have borne the name, including Carlos I, who also reigned as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Well-known bearers today include Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana, a pioneer of Latin rock, and Spanish tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz.
After a long, gradual rise, Carlos peaked in the U.S. at 59th in 1999 and again in 2001, when 6,842 babies were given the name, the most in any year. It has fallen back since then, and in 2025 it ranked 150th, with 2,418 babies.
Pronunciation
Spanish
- Pronunced as KAHR-lohs (/ˈkar.loz/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Carlos
| Carlos Ghosn is a prominent businessman and former auto executive who led Michelin North America, Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, and AvtoVAZ. |
| Carlos Tevez is an Argentine former versatile forward and current head coach of Primera Division club Talleres. |
| Carlos Santana, a Mexican-born American guitarist and founder of Santana, pioneered rock and Latin jazz fusion in the late 60s and 70s and saw a major comeback in the late 90s. |
| Mexican magnate Carlos Slim Helu built his fortune through Grupo Carso, was the world’s richest from 2010 to 2013, and as of July 2025 ranks 18th globally with a net worth of 99.1 billion US dollars, making him the richest in Latin America. |
| Puerto Rican MLB shortstop and third baseman Carlos Javier Correa Oppenheimer Jr. plays for the Houston Astros, was the first overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft, and previously played for the Minnesota Twins. |
| Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is the ATP world number one and the 2022 year end number one, with 23 singles titles including six majors, two each at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. |
| Carlos Dawon Hyde is an American football running back and former Ohio State Buckeyes player who was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2014. |
| Carlos Delgado is a Puerto Rican former MLB first baseman and coach most notably with the Toronto Blue Jays, a 1993 World Series champion, two time All Star, three time Silver Slugger, 2000 Hank Aaron Award winner, and 2003 AL RBI leader. |
| Carlos Valderrama, known as El Pibe, is a Colombian former attacking midfielder and Futbol de Primera commentator, widely regarded as one of the greatest in South America and named by Pele to the 2004 FIFA 100. |
| Carlos Bocanegra is an American former defender and sports executive who captained the United States over 100 times, won MLS Defender of the Year twice, played across Europe, and later served as Atlanta United technical director and vice president. |
| Carlos Chávez - Carlos Chavez was a Mexican composer and conductor who drew on indigenous traditions, best known for Sinfonia india featuring Yaqui percussion. |
| Carlos Vives is a Colombian singer, songwriter and actor. |
| Carlos Saldanha is a Brazilian animator and filmmaker behind Ice Age and Rio, a Blue Sky Studios collaborator until 2021 with Oscar nominations for Gone Nutty and Ferdinand. |
