Submitted Name Revision History

A variation of the Common-Germanic name karlaz meaning "freeman" from which the name Karl or Kerl comes; ultimately from the Indo-European root *ǵerh₂- meaning "to age, to mature, to grow" related to the Common-Germanic word *kurnan "grain" and *kerskaz "lively"; compare the Tocharian word *śrāy "grownup, adult, mature, old," Ancient Greek γερᾰρός (gerarós) "of revered bearing, honorable, majestic."

The Common-Germanc word *karilaz later in Old Norse karilʀ younger karl a name with mythological connotation as can be read in the poem Rígsþula, here's from stanza 21:

Jóð ól Amma
jósu vatni,
kǫlluðu Karl,
kona sveip rifti,
rauðan ok rjóðan,
riðuðu augu.

Jackson Crawford's translation:
Amma had a child.
They splashed him with water
and named him Freeman (Karl).
His mother wrapped
her red-haired, ruddy child
in cloth; his eyes were keen.