National Charlie Day is celebrated on January 20 every year. This holiday is all about celebrating and appreciating all the people who carry this name. Charlie is traditionally a masculine given name in English-speaking countries, often a nickname for Charles, though nowadays it’s used for women as well as a nickname for Charlotta, Charlotte, Charlene, or just on its own. As implied, it derives from the name ‘Charles,’ which is said to derive from the Old English word ‘ceorl,’ meaning “free man.” This meaning is attributed to the name Charlie as well.
History of National Charlie Day
The origin of Charlie, either as a diminutive form of Charles or as a given name, isn’t known. However, we do know that Charles dates back to the Middle Ages, and it was especially popular in France because of the fame of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great. It has different forms of spelling that are most commonly used for feminine forms. These are Charlee, Charli, Charly, Charleigh, and Charley, the last one being a spelling variant for both genders.
In England and Wales, the name has entered the top 100 for girls from 1994 to 2004, but in recent years, it has not entered the top 100 again. Charlie remains primarily a boy’s name in Britain. In England and Wales, it was the sixth most popular name for boys. In Ireland, it was the 52nd most popular name, and in New South Wales, Australia, and Scotland, it was the 28th. In the year 2016, it was the 227th most popular name for boys, while being the 185th most popular name for girls in the United States, where it has become more popular for girls in recent years.
Over the years, there have been many famous people named Charlie, the earliest of which is probably American baseball player Charlie Pabor, born in 1846 and active in the 1870s. But the most famous Charlies in history are probably English comic actor Charlie Chaplin, born on April 16, 1889, and American photojournalist Charlie Cole, born on February 28, 1955. The last one is known for being one of the five photographers who captured the iconic image of the Tank Man during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.
National Charlie Day timeline
The use of the name Charlie first begins.
Born Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr., Chaplin is probably the most famous Charlie in history, and he’s known all over the world for his comedic roles.
Cole is born — this photojournalist is one of the five photographers who capture the iconic image of the Tank Man during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.
In England and Wales, Charlie enters the ‘Top 100 names’ for girls.
National Charlie Day FAQs
Is Charlie a biblical name?
The name has a Germanic origin, but it is popular in Christian religions.
Is Chad short for Charlie?
No, but it can be a short form of Charles, along with Charlie.
What are nicknames for Charlie?
Some nicknames for Charlie are Chase, Chip, Charl, and Chucky.
National Charlie Day Activities
Spend time with a Charlie in your life
It doesn’t matter if it’s a family member, a friend, your partner, or an acquaintance. This is a day to show them appreciation, so make sure it shows!
Have some “me” time
If your name is Charlie, then that means this is your day, so you can do anything you want. Take at least some hours off to relax and do something you’ve been wanting to do this week, like watch a movie. You’ve earned it.
Go out with the other Charlies you know
Another thing you can do if your name is Charlie and you know other Charlies, is to go out with all of them. Take them to the bar or the club and have a good time!
5 Fun Facts About The Name Charlie
Roughly 161,391 people named Charlie
That is the estimate of people in the United States named Charlie.
It’s the 410th most popular first name
According to HowManyOfMe.com’s statistics, that's where it features on the popularity list.
93.75% are male
In the United States, 93.75% of the people called Charlie are male.
Many famous characters are called Charlie
Examples include Charlie Brown from "Peanuts," Charlie Bucket from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and Charlie Harper from "Two and a Half Men."
There are several musicians called Charlie
Some of them include Charlie Watts, Charlie Puth, and Charlie Parker.
Why We Love National Charlie Day
Every Charlie deserves love
Some Charlies out there may be feeling down today. This day is a good excuse to cheer them up if they need it!
We love the name, Charlie
We’ve already mentioned how it derives from a word that means 'free man.' We also like Charlie because it sounds very friendly, it rolls off the tongue nicely, and in girls, it gives off a tomboyish vibe.
We love Charlie day too
We can use this day to think about actors, musicians, writers, comedians, media, or characters we like that happen to be called Charlie. Enjoy their work!
National Charlie Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | January 20 | Monday |
| 2026 | January 20 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | January 20 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | January 20 | Thursday |
| 2029 | January 20 | Saturday |
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