The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not. Linda Rosenkrantz

Charesse, Chariety, Charis, Charisa, Charise, Charisha, Charissa, Charisse, Charissee, Charista, Charita, Charitee, Chariti, Charitey, Charitye, Chariza, Charyssa, Cherri, Cherry, Sharitee, Sharitey, Shanty, Sharity, Sharitye.

      CHARLENE. Variation of CAROLINE or CHARLOTTE. Charlene wears a beehive hairdo and a too-tight turquoise tube top. Char, Charla, Charlaina, Charlaine, Charlane, Charlanna, Charlayna, Charlayne, Charlea, Charlean, Charleen, Charleene, Charleesa, Charlena, Charlenae, Charlesena, Charline, Charlyn, Charlyne, Charlynn, Charlynne, Charlzina, Charoline.

      

CHARLIE. Diminutive of CHARLES or CHARLOTTE. One of the original oh-so-cute boys’ names for girls, now a bit last decade, recently falling out of the Top 100. Charle, Charlee, Charleigh, Charley, Charli, Charly, Chatty, Sharli, Sharlie.

      CHARLISE. Variation of CHARLOTTE. A name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Theron. Charlise.

      

CHARLOTTE. French, ‘little and womanly’. An elegant royal name now at Number 12 with such varied role models as Charlotte Bronte and Charlotte of E. B. White’s Web – not to mention Charlotte Church.

      If You Like Charlotte,

       You Might Love…

      Arabella

      Caroline

      Celia

      Clementine

      Colette

      Georgina

      Jane

      Juliet

      Lucy

      Madeline

      Margaret

      Nora

      Rosa

      Sophia

      Susannah

      Carleen, Carline, Carlyne, Char, Chara, Charil, Charill, Charl, Charla, Charlaine, Charlet, Charlett, Charletta, Charlette, Chariot, Charlisa, Charlita, Charlott, Charlottie, Charlotty, Charolet, Charolette, Charolot, Charolotte, Charly, Charlyne, Charmain, Charmion, Charo, Charty, Cheryn, Cheryll, Karleen, Karlene, Karlika, Karlotte, Karlyne, Lotta, Lottey, Lotty, Sharel, Sharil, Sharla, Sharlaine, Sharlet, Sharlette, Sharlot, Sharmain, Sharmayne, Sharmian, Sharmion, Sharyl, Sherie, Sherye, Sheryl. International: Séarlait (Irish Gaelic), Carlotta (Italian), Carlota (Spanish), Karlotta (German and Greek), Charlotta (Swedish), Sarolta (Hungarian), Sharlotta (Russian).

      CHARMAINE. Latin, ‘a singer’. An ancient name soiled by toilet paper association. Charamy, Charma, Charmae, Charmagne, Charmaigne, Charmain, Charmalique, Charman, Charmane, Charmar, Charmara, Charmayane, Charmayne, Charmeen, Charmeine, Charmene, Charmese, Charmian, Charmin, Charmine, Charmion, Charmisa, Charmon, Charmyan, Charmyn, Charmyne, Charmynne, Sharmain, Sharman, Sharmane, Sharmayne, Sharmian, Sharmion, Sharmyn.

      CHARMIAN. Greek, ‘joy’. Shakespearean name less charming than the sound might imply. Charmiane, Charmin, Charmyan, Sharmian, Sharmiane, Sharmyan.

      CHARNA. Jewish/Yiddish, ‘dark, black’. Popular name in Israel, worth considering for a dark-haired daughter with a bit of a bohemian cast. Charnke, Charnele.

      CHARO. Spanish variation of ROSA. Arriba!

      CHASTITY. Virtue name. One of the original so-weird-it’s-cruel starbaby names. Chasa Dee, Chasadie, Chasady, Chasaty, Chasidee, Chasidey, Chasidie, Chasidy, Chasiti, Chasitie, Chasitti, Chasity, Chassedi, Chassidi, Chassidy, Chassiti, Chassity, Chassy, Chasta, Chastady, Chastidy, Chastin, Chastitee, Chastitie, Chastitey, Chastney, Chasty, Chasydi.

      CHAVA. Hebrew, ‘life’. Ava or Eva are more appealing. Chabah, Chavae, Chavah, Chavalah, Chavarra, Chavarria, Chave, Chavé, Chavette, Chaviva, Chavvis, Chaya, Chayka, Eva, Hava, Haya, Kaija, Kaÿa.

      CHAYA. Hebrew, ‘life’. For parents who want the kosher version of Eve. Chaike, Chaye, Chayka, Chayla, Chaylah, Chaylea, Chaylee, Chaylene, Chayra.

      CHELSEA. London and New York place name. Once swinging but it recently dropped out of the Top 100. Chelce, Chelcee, Chelcey, Chelci, Chelcie, Chelcy, Chelese, Chelesia, Chelli, Chellie, Chellise, Chellsie, Chelsa, Chelsae, Chelsah, Chelsay, Chelse, Chelseah, Chelsee, Chelsei, Chelseigh, Chelsey, Chelsi, Chelsia, Chelsie, Chelssie, Chelssey, Chelssy, Chelsy, Chelsye, Cheslea, Cheslee, Chesley, Cheslie, Chessea, Chessie.

      CHER. French, ‘beloved’. There’s only one – and that’s plenty. Chere, Cheree, Cherey, Cheri, Cherice, Cherie, Cheriee, Cherise, Cherish, Cherri, Cherrie, Cherry, Chery, Cherye, Cherylee, Cheryiie, Sher, Sherelle, Sherey, Sheri, Sherice, Sherie, Sherry, Sheryll.

      CHERILYN. Variation of CHERYL. Cher’s pre-icon birth name. Charalin, Charalyn, Charalynne, Charelin, Charelyn, Charelynn, Charilyn, Charilynn, Cheralin, Cheralyn, Cherilin, Cherilynn, Cherilynne, Cherralyn, Cherrilin, Cherrilyn, Cherrylene, Cherrylin, Cherryline, Cherrylyn, Cherylin, Cheryline, Cheryllyn, Cherylyn, Sharalin, Sharalyn, Sharelyn, Sharelynne, Sharilynn, Sheralin, Shera-Lynne, Sheritin, Sherralin, Sherrilyn, Sherrylene, Sherryline, Sherrylyn, Sherylin, Sherylyn.

      CHERISH. English word name. So sweet it makes our teeth hurt. Charisa, Charise, Charish, Charisha, Cheerish, Cherece, Chereese, Cheresa, Cherese, Cheresse, Cherice, Cherise, Cherishe, Cheriss, Cherissa, Cherisse, Cherrise, Cherrish, Sherish.

      CHERRY. Fruit name. Why give your future teenager even more reason to hate you? Chere, Cheree, Cherey, Cherida, Cherise, Cherita, Cherrey, Cherri, Cherrie, Cherrita, Cherry-Ann, Cherry-Anne, Cherrye, Chery, Cherye.

      CHERYL. Modern invented name. As frozen in the pre-Beatles era as short white gloves. Charel, Charell, Charelle, Charil, Charyl, Cherell, Cherelle, Cheriann, Cherianne, Cherell, Cherrelle, Cherryl, Cheryl-Ann, Cheryl-Anne, Cheryle, Charylee, Cheryll, Cherylle, Cheryl-Lee, Cherilynn, Chyril, Chyrill, Sharel, Sharil, Sharyl, Sharyll, Sheral, Sherianne, Sheril, Sherill, Sheryl, Shyril, Shyrill.

      CHESLEIGH. English, ‘camp on the meadow’. Chelsea with dyslexia. Cheslea, Chesley, Chesli, Cheslie, Chesly, Chesslea, Chesslee, Chessley, Chessli, Chesslie, Chessly.

      CHESNEY. English from French, ‘oak grove’. We don’t care how much you love Kenny: this is going too far. Chesnea, Chesneigh, Chesnie, Chesni, Chesny, Chessnea, Chessney, Chessni, Chessnie, Chessny.

      

CHEYENNE. Sioux, ‘people of a different language’. The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became popular in the US in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations – ShyAnne is one example that’s still on the rise. Chayan, Chayanne, Chey, Cheyan, Cheyana, Cheyane, Cheyann, Cheyanna, Cheyanne, Cheye, Cheyeana, Cheyeanna, Cheyeanne, Cheyeene, Cheyena, Cheyene, Cheyenna, Cheyna, Cheyne, Cheynee, Cheyney, Cheynna, Chi, Chi-Anna, Chie, Chyan, Chyana, Chyane, Chyann, Chyanna, Chyanne, Chyeana, Chyenn, Chyenna, Chyenne, Chyennee, Shayan, Shayanne, Shianne, Shyann, Shyanne.