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[Opinions] Charles
A name I used to hate but have come to like of late. So what do you think of Charles? Dated? Timeless classic? Elegant? Boring? Upperclass or lowerclass?What middle names do you think would go with Charles?ETA: Do you think there's any way of avoiding the nickname Charlie?

This message was edited 4/11/2011, 2:39 PM

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I like Charles well enough. I prefer Charlie personally, but I like Charles and it's one of those names that everyone's heard of but is somewhat unexpected on a little boy. I think of it as a timeless classic. Charlie can definitely be avoided. I have a good friend who is simply Charles, never Charlie or any other short form. No one ever calls him Charlie unless they're just teasing him.
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Charles = timeless classic and rather elegant. I'd say it languishes between middle and upper class, it's definitely not lower class though.Charles combos I like:Charles Edmund
Charles Alexander
Charles Peter
Charles Francis
Charles RobertAs for avoiding the nickname Charlie, were you to ever use it, you would just have to insist on the nn not being used. People should resepct that.
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I absolutely love Charlie. I don't especially like Charles as a name, but I would use it in order to use the nickname Charlie. I think of it as definitely a timeless classic rather than dated, and definitely upper class (maybe because of Prince Charles?)You could avoid Charlie, but it might be difficult - a lot of people would assume and call him Charlie anyway. It would be easier to avoid if you used another nickname such as Chuck.
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I've liked the nickname Charlie for a while, and I've recently started liking Charles as well. It's classic.
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It's a bit boring and not out-dated enough to become fresh if used. It has a ton of nicknames and that is a plus if it becomes wildly popular.
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Charles isn't my cup of tea. I think it is still a bit dated without a younger sounding nickname to liven it up. It also seems a bit boring and definitely upperclass to me. It's definitely possible to avoid the nickname Charlie. There are other nickname options.Charles Hephaestus
Charles Hyperion
Charles Xerxes
Charles Dominic
Charles Ulysses
Charles Franklin
Charles Bartholomew
Charles Solomon
Charles Quentin
Charles BertramLike any?
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I love Charles Bartholomew, Charles Solomon and Charles Bertram! Charles Ulysses isn't bad either. Ulysses is growing on me.

This message was edited 4/12/2011, 2:11 AM

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My uncles name is Charles and he's never been called Charlie so I think it's avoidable. His middle name is Glenn. I love the name Charles, I would say it's a timeless classic.
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1. Timeless Classic but a little boring
2. David, Alexander, Everett, William, Louis, Benjamin, Douglas, Franklin, Garrett, Henry, Ian, Michael, Matthew, Oliver, Scott
3. Every Charles I know goes by Chuck, so yeah.
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While Chuck is better than Charlie I still prefer Charles with no nickname but I guss people could get used to that too.I really like Charles Louis and Charles Henry.
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I LOVE THIS NAME! In fact, I named one of my kittens 'Charles.' It turned out that she's female but she is TOTALLY a Charles.As for the nn Charlie, I like it! Pay no attention to certain individuals currently besmerching it... (did I spell that right?)Combo time!Charles Alexander
Charles Dean
Charles Gabriel
Charles Isaac
Charles Jacob
Charles Lachlan (ooh, I like this one!!)
Charles Micaiah
Charles Noel
Charles Orion
Charles Quincy
Charles Walker (still a good name, Walker, despite 'W' *shudder... eww*)
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she is TOTALLY a Charles. *like* :)Charles Dean, Charles Gabriel, Charles Lachlan and Charles Noel are great combos! Not sure about the middle name Walker for obvious reasons...
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I like it. It has some good namesakes and is timeless. I can get sort of an upperclass vibe from it, but I think it works for anyone, especially with a nn. It could be a bit boring, but there aren't many where I live so I don't think of it that way.I usually like it with longish, uncommon, sort of noble-sounding, or surnamey mns. A few combos I like are:
Charles Aethelstan
Charles Neptune
Charles Dorian
Charles Tristram
Charles Seymour
Charles Lysander
Charles North
Charles Andronicus
Charles Godric
Charles Griffin
Charles Alastor
Charles Sebastian
Charles Lucius
Charles Alberic
Charles Wilhelm
Charles Orion
Charles Pelagius
Charles Declan
Charles FrancisI'm not sure how to avoid Charlie..
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I think Charles Seymour is a great combo, I totally get the 'noble' thing. I also like Charles Declan and Charles Francis.
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Charles is dated, classic, boring, not elegant, upperclass.
I'm not crazy about it, but I do love Charlie and considered Charles for a son who would have been called Charlie.I think Charlie's avoidable, though, because I personally knew a young (late 20s) man who went by Charles all the time - at work, and with all his friends. He just wasn't called Charlie, probably because of his own preference. I think Charles sounds more stuckup and formal, less outgoing and friendly, than Charlie.Our son would have been Charles Bruce. Dunno if that's a good combo, though.

This message was edited 4/11/2011, 3:06 PM

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Charles is a fine name, and Charlie is a great nickname. I know 2 Charlies. One is an engineer and one is a lawyer. Both great people.
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The nickname Charlie is one good thing about Charles imo :) I find Charles stuffy & dated. Any classic name would make a good middle name, like Charles Alexander, Charles Robert, Charles Joseph.
You could use Chuck or Chaz or CJ (if middle initial is J) as a nickname to avoid Charlie. Or if you don't want a nickname, let people know it is just Charles.
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Honestly, I've always disliked it. :(I just don't find it handsome. Maybe some day I'll warm up to it as you have, but I can't get into it at all right now. Sorry. :(Charles Isaac
Charles Andrew
Charles Alexander
Charles Maxwell
Charles Oliver
Charles Elliot
Charles Mason
Charles Logan
Charles Isaiah
Charles Horatio
Charles Ignatius
Charles Lucas:)
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Not a problem, for someone who dislikes the name you do a good job thinking of combos for it ;)Charles Andrew is probably my favourite but I also like Charles Elliot and Charles Logan.

This message was edited 4/11/2011, 2:35 PM

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I love the name. I love the NN Charlie, but if you do not, I think it is avoidable. You just have to make sure to stay on top of correcting people if they try to use it. My sister in-law has a Andrew and a James. People have tried to shorten both, she just makes sure they don't.Charles was on my short list for my son right up until the day he was born. It was my DH's uncle's name, and he passed right about the time we found out we were pregnant. My only concern about the name was that it would be shortened to Chuck or Chaz. MN's we considered (most are family names):
Charles Clayton (my son's MN)
Charles Joseph
Charles Jackson
Charles Marcus
Charles Claude
Charles Mason
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I'm with your sister in-law. Charles, Andrew and James are all names I really like but I hate their nicknames.
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It's okay. Not really my style, though. I do like it much better than Charlie.
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Charles is lovely. I think it's timeless and elegant, and it doesn't feel defined to any particular class. I like the nicknames too: Chuck, Charlie and Chaz are all great.Charles Auberon
Charles Cameron
Charles Finnegan
Charles Indigo
Charles Josiah
Charles Julius
Charles Matthias - possibly my favourite
Charles ValerianAs you can see I enjoy the rhythm of Charles with a 3-syllable mn!
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Charles Valerian is great!
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I used to love it a lot, as in for a few years we probably would've used it for a second boy. It's fallen off my top favorites list the past few months, but I still love it and have a soft spot for it. It's very classic, and I get a wonderful vibe from it. It's intelligent and sophisticated, but rugged and outdoorsy, and it has great history that gives it a regal feeling. Man, I might've just talked myself back into it being on the list again. :)I've never tried to combo it too much since it was a potential use name, so the only ones I have are Charles Brynmor, Charles Llewellyn, and Charles Ignace. The last one is probably the only one I really love still.
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[This should be a response to the OP]I'm into Stuart / Stewart England at the moment. And the court of King Charles II is so much fun to read about. So how can I resist the appeal of ruggedly handsome Charles? My BIL is Charles, but has always gone by Chuck. Mine: Charles Malcolm and Charles Aubrey.

This message was edited 4/11/2011, 5:49 PM

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Charles Malcolm and Charles Aubrey are very pretty!
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Wow, Charles Ignace has something so dignified about it if that makes sense. Calm, elegant, just, sophisticated come to mind to describe a Charles Ignace. Thank you!
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I'm glad you like it so much! Ignace doesn't seem to get a lot of rave reviews around here. Most people seem to prefer Ignatius. I don't, and Ignace has more meaning for me. :)
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