Charles

Usually ‘man’; also rendered ‘free man’

Charles is a French and English masculine name whose usual derivation leads back to Germanic Karl, ‘man’. ‘Free man’ is another familiar rendering. Carolus is the Latinized form along the name’s path into French. The same spelling has two different voices. British English /ˈt͡ʃɑːlz/ begins with the sound in ‘chair’ and ends in a z sound; French /ʃaʁl/ has a softer sh opening and a silent final s. Both can feel composed and elegant, with a closely gathered consonant ending. If the name will be used in both languages, choosing which pronunciation feels most personal is more useful than seeking one universal version.

Etymology: French and English form of Germanic Karl through the Latinized form Carolus.