Charlene \ch(a)-rle-ne, char-lene\ as a girl's name is pronounced shar-LEEN, char-LEEN. It is of Old German origin, and the meaning of Charlene is "free man". 20th-century coinage. Feminine form of Charles with the -ene suffix. It may have been influenced by the older and rarer French name Charline, a feminine diminutive of Charles. Char- is also used as a blend prefix.

Charlene has 21 variant forms: Char, Charla, Charlaine, Charlanna, Charlayne, Charleen, Charleena, Charleene, Charleesa, Charlena, Charlie, Charlien, Charlina, Charlyn, Charlyne, Charlynn, Charline, Charlisa, Charlita, Shslene and Sharlene.

For more information, see also related names Arlene, Sha-, Carol, Caroline and Charlotte.

Baby names that sound like Charlene are Sharline, Sharlyne, Sharlena, Cherlyne, Sharleyne, Sharlane, Sherlene and Shirlene.