Karl

See also: karl and kärl

English

Alternative forms

• Carl

Etymology

From German and North Germanic (Scandinavian) Karl, from Germanic. Doublet of Charles.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)l

Proper noun

Karl

1. A male given name from the Germanic languages, equivalent to English Charles.

Related terms

• Carlos
• Carlo

Descendants

• → Cebuano: Karl, Carl

Translations

cognates — see Charles

transliterations — see Carl

Anagrams

• Klar, Kral, Lark, klar, lark

Bikol Central

Etymology

From English Karl.

Proper noun

Karl

1. a male given name from the Germanic languages

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Karl.

Proper noun

Karl

1. a male given name from the Germanic languages

Danish

Alternative forms

• Carl

Etymology

From Old Norse Karl, from karl (“free man”), originally a nickname. Popularized by the fame of Charlemagne (Karl in Danish), from the same Proto-Germanic source.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /karl/
  • (stressed) IPA^(key): [ˈkʰɑːˀl]
  • (unstressed) IPA^(key): [kʰɑl]

Proper noun

Karl

1. a male given name

Related terms

• (feminine forms) Carla, Caroline, Charlotte, Karla, Karoline, Karlene, Lina, Line, Liselotte, Lotte
• (surnames) Carlsen, Karlsen

References

• [1] Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 42 958 males with the given name Karl (compared to 42 636 named Carl) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1910s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Estonian

Proper noun

Karl

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Charles

Usage notes

• Common first part of conjoined names, such as Karl-Markus or Karl Martin.

Related terms

• Kaarel, Kalle
• Karl Suur

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse Karl, from karl (“free man”).

Proper noun

Karl m

1. a male given name

Usage notes

• son of Karl: Karlsson
• daughter of Karl: Karlsdóttir

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Karl
Accusative	Karl
Dative	Karli
Genitive	Karls

German

Alternative forms

• Carl

Etymology

From Old High German karal, from Proto-Germanic *karlaz (“free man”), *karilaz (“man, elder”). Cognate with French and English Charles.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /karl/, [kaʁl], [kaɐ̯l], [kaːl]

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophone: kahl (some speakers)

Proper noun

Karl m (proper noun, strong, genitive Karls or (with an article) Karl)

1. a male given name

Usage notes

• The most common given name of men born in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• A common first part of conjoined names such as Karl-Heinz.

Derived terms

• Kalle
• (feminine forms) Carla, Carola, Carolin, Caroline, Charlotte, Karla, Karolin, Karoline, Lieselotte, Lina, Liselotte, Lotte

Related terms

• Kerl

Descendants

• → English: Karl, Carl (see there for further descendants)

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʰartl̥] (

  listen

  (file)

  )

Proper noun

Karl m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Carl or Charles

Norwegian

Alternative forms

• Carl

Etymology

From Old Norse Karl, from karl (“man”), from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ (karilaʀ), from Proto-Germanic *karilaz (“free man, little man”), a diminutive of *karaz, probably from Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- (“to become old, to grow”).

Popularized by the fame of Charlemagne (Karl in Norwegian), from the same Proto-Germanic source.

Proper noun

Karl

1. a male given name

Related terms

• (feminine forms) Caroline, Charlotte, Karoline, Lina, Line, Lotte
• (surnames) Carlsen, Karlsen

References

• Kristoffer Kruken - Ola Stemshaug: Norsk personnamnleksikon, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1995, →ISBN
• [2] Statistisk sentralbyrå, Namnestatistikk: 9 245 males with the given name Karl (compared to 3726 named Carl) living in Norway on January 1st 2011, with the frequency peak in the 19th century. Accessed on 19 May, 2011.

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse Karl, from karl (“man”), from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ (karilaʀ), from Proto-Germanic *karilaz (“free man, little man”), a diminutive of *karaz, probably from Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- (“to become old, to grow”).

Popularized by the fame of Charlemagne, from the same Proto-Germanic source.

Proper noun

Karl m

1. a male given name

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Karl
Accusative	Karl
Dative	Karli, Karle
Genitive	Karls

Descendants

• Swedish: Karl

Swedish

Alternative forms

• Carl

Etymology

From Old Norse Karl, from karl (“free man”), originally a nickname. Popularized by the fame of Charlemagne (Karl in Swedish), from the same Proto-Germanic source.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɑːrl/, [kɑːɭ], [kɑːl]
• Homophones: Carl, kal (only if pronounced [kɑːl])

Proper noun

Karl c (genitive Karls)

1. a male given name
   • 1975, Christer Kihlman, Dyre prins, Wahlström & Widstrand, →ISBN, page 79:

     Sinikka föreslog då Karl efter Marx och Karl Liebknecht. Eller Karl den tolfte, invände jag. Också Karl kändes för banalt, för använt och utslitet, för oambitiöst och komprometterat, trots vissa stora och förpliktande föregångare.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• Name of nine kings of Sweden since the 12th century. As a given name first became popular in the 19th century.
• The most common given name of men born in Sweden in the 1920s and the 1930s.

Related terms

• karl
• (male given names) Charles, Kalle
• (female given names) Carola, Carolin, Carolina, Caroline, Charlotte, Charlotte, Karolina, Lina, Lotta
• (surnames) Carlsson, Karlsson

References

• Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
• [3] Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 209 909 males with the given name Karl (compared to 125 372 named Carl) living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1910s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Anagrams

• klar