Chuck
A boy's name with 17,864 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A form of the male given name Charles, of mostly American usage.
Chuck is a boy's baby name of Old French origin, an American diminutive of Charles, which traces back through the Old French to the Germanic Karl, meaning 'free man' or 'man.' The Chuck nickname arose through a rhyming pattern similar to how Rick became Dick.
Chuck radiates a particular kind of American confidence — think Chuck Berry, whose rock and roll guitar work defined a generation, or Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier. It's a name with swagger built in.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Chuck's final sounds are crisp, punchy — giving the name a decisive, no-nonsense quality. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Chuck follows that masculine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Chuck's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Chuck has 106+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1914.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 27 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 87 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 112 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 225 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 576 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 1,880 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 7,615 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 4,113 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 2,349 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 663 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 193 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 24 | — |
The Story of Chuck
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1961, Chuck is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Chuck are most likely born between 1951 and 1971.
How rare is Chuck?
Chuck has 17,864 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1914, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1960s with 7,615 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Chuck by the numbers
- Would fill 372 school buses
- Meeting one Chuck per day would take 48.9 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(106 years, 1914–2023)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | #11075 |
| 2022 | 10 | #7861 |
| 2021 | 6 | #11044 |
| 2020 | 5 | #12392 |
| 2019 | 8 | #9054 |
| 2018 | 9 | #8286 |
| 2017 | 8 | #9009 |
| 2016 | 12 | #6796 |
| 2015 | 16 | #5554 |
| 2014 | 13 | #6364 |
| 2013 | 7 | #9840 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8280 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12584 |
| 2009 | 10 | #7790 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10057 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5694 |
| 2006 | 11 | #6993 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7748 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11668 |
| 2003 | 9 | #7339 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chuck a boy's or girl's name?
When was Chuck most popular?
How popular is the name Chuck?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1914–2023