Declining since 2005, #2,645 for girls today.
Popularity of Charlize since 1998
Babies named Charlize per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 42 |
| 2000s | 2,691 |
| 2010s | 2,383 |
| 2020s | 566 |
Meaning & origin
Charlize entered U.S. records in 1998 and climbed quickly, peaking as the 2,645th most popular girl's name in 2004 before beginning a gradual decline. By 2025, it ranked 2,645 with only 1 in 24,727 newborn girls receiving the name. The name is most common in Florida, California, and Texas. Its trajectory has been falling since 2005, reflecting a shift away from its early-2000s peak influenced by the fame of actress Charlize Theron. As a modern coinage blending Charlotte with the Afrikaans -ize suffix, Charlize offers a distinctive alternative to more established variants.
Charlize is a modern coinage that blends the first element of Charlotte (itself a French feminine diminutive of Charles, derived from Germanic *karlaz meaning 'free man') with the fashionable -ize suffix popularized by the Afrikaans name Charlize. The name gained international recognition through South African actress Charlize Theron, born 1975. Its use in the United States began in the late 1990s.
Where Charlize is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Charlize” around the world
Where Charlize lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
170
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Charlie, Char, Lizzie
Sibling names for Charlize
Names that share Charlize's style, for a brother or sister.
