Holding steady.
Popularity of Karel since 1916
Babies named Karel per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 14 |
| 1920s | 0 | 9 |
| 1930s | 143 | 33 |
| 1940s | 361 | 39 |
| 1950s | 331 | 51 |
| 1960s | 194 | 38 |
| 1970s | 41 | 53 |
| 1980s | 41 | 79 |
| 1990s | 57 | 74 |
| 2000s | 40 | 90 |
| 2010s | 0 | 67 |
| 2020s | 0 | 59 |
Meaning & origin
Karel is a classic European name with roots in the Germanic word for 'free man.' In the United States, it saw its peak in 1939, though it has never cracked the top 1000. The name has a stable trajectory over time, remaining consistently in low usage. Karel is less common in the U.S. but retains strong cultural associations in Dutch, Czech, and Scandinavian communities, where it has been used for centuries.
Karel is a Germanic name derived from the Old High German *Karl*, itself from Proto-Germanic *karlaz* meaning "free man". It is a cognate of Charles and Carl. Used widely across Dutch, Czech, Slovak, and Scandinavian cultures, Karel was also adopted in the Netherlands as a variant of Karel. The name has been borne by several European royals and saints.
“Karel” around the world
Where Karel lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kari, Kaj, Kalle
Sibling names for Karel
Names that share Karel's style, for a brother or sister.
