Karel (given name)

Karel
Gender	Male and female
Origin
Word/name	Common Germanic
Meaning	Free Man
Region of origin	Western Europe, Central Europe
Other names
Nickname(s)	Karlík, Karlíček, Kája
Related names	Charles, Carl, Karl, Carol
Popularity	see popular names

Karel /ˈkɑːrəl/ is a masculine given name in Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Slovene and Swedish form of Charles, meaning Free Man.^[1]

Given name

The name Karel (and its diminutives, Karlík, Karlíček, and Kája) appears frequently among the Czechs. In 2006, 124,784 Karels lived in the Czech Republic, making the name the thirteenth most popular Czech name.^[2] Between 1999 and 2002, the number of Karels in the Czech Republic dropped by 2.7%, and the name dropped out of the twenty most popular newborn child names.^[3] Notable people with this given name include the following:

Karel Aalbers (born 1949), Dutch businessman
Karel Abraham (born 1990), Czech motorcycle racer
Karel Absolon (1877–1960), Czech geographer
Karel Josef Adolf (1715–1771), 18th century Czech painter
Karel Aguilar Chacón (born 1980), Cuban canoeist
Karel Albert (1901–1987), Belgian composer
Karel Slavoj Amerling (1807–1884), Czech writer
Karel Ančerl (1908–1973), Czech conductor
Karel Anděl (1884–1948), Czech astronomer and selenographer
Karel Anthierens (1935–2022), Belgian journalist
Karel Appel (1921–2006), Dutch artist
Karel Ardelt (1889–1978), Czech tennis player
Karel Balcar (born 1966), Czech painter
Karel Bartošek, Czech French historian
Karel Bártů (1916–2008), Czech modern pentathlete
Karel Beyers (1943–2020), Belgian footballer
Karel Bláha (born 1975), Czech sprinter
Karel Bernard Boedijn (1893–1964), Dutch botanist and mycologist
Karel Bonsink (born 1950), Dutch footballer and manager
Karel Boom (1858–1939), Belgian genre painter, watercolorist and art teacher
Karel Boone (born 1941), Belgian businessman
Karel Bossart (1904–1975), rocket designer
Karel Albert Rudolf Bosscha (1865–1928), Dutch philanthropist and planter
Karel Brančik (1842–1915), Hungarian naturalist
Karel John van den Brandeler (1888–1948), Dutch modern pentathlete and fencer
Karel Brandstätter (1915–?), Czech rower
Karel Hendrik van Brederode (1827–1897), Dutch engineer and architect
Karel Brückner (born 1939), Czech football coach
Karel Bulan (born 1940), Czech sport shooter
Karel Burian (1870–1924), Czech operatic tenor
Karel Campos (born 2003), Mexican footballer
Karel Čapek (1890–1938), Czech writer
Karel Cejp (1900–1979), Czech botanist and mycologist
Karel Černý, multiple people
Karel Červenka, Czech cyclist
Karel Mark Chichon (born 1971), British orchestra conductor
Karel Choennie (born 1958), Surinamese Roman Catholic bishop
Karel Čížek (1892–1948), Czechoslovak rowing coxswain
Karel Crawford, American politician
Karel Cudlín (born 1960), Czech photographer
Karel Čurda (1911–1947), Czech Nazi collaborator
Karel David (born 1964), Czech long-distance runner
Karel De Baere (1925–1985), Belgian cyclist
Karel De Gucht (born 1954), Belgian politician
Karel De Smet (born 1980), Belgian footballer
Karel De Vis (born 1937), Belgian water polo player
Karel deLeeuw (1930–1978), American mathematician
Karel Demuynck, Belgian tennis player
Karel Dežman (1821–1899), Carniolan politician
Karel Dillen (1925–2007), Belgian politician
Karel Diviš, Czech entrepreneur
Karel Dobrý (born 1969), Czech actor
Karel Domin (1882–1953), Czech botanist and politician
Karel Doorman (1889–1942), Dutch naval officer
Karel Dormans (born 1975), Dutch rower
Karel Duba (1923–1968), Czech musician
Karel Dujardin (1626–1678), Dutch painter
Karel van Eerd (1938–2022), Dutch entrepreneur
Karel Effa (1922–1993), Czech actor
Karel Engel (1940–2018), Czech wrestler
Karel Engliš (1880–1961), Czech economist
Karel Jaromír Erben (1811–1870), Czech poet and folklorist
Karel Espino (born 2001), Cuban football player
Karel Jaromír Erben (1811–1870), Czech folklorist
Karel Eykman (1936–2022), Dutch writer
Karel la Fargue (1738–1793), Dutch painter
Karel Farský (1880-1927), Czech priest and patriarch of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church
Karel Fiala (1925–2020), Czech actor
Karel Fialka, Indian-born British singer-songwriter
Karel Finek (1920–1989), Czech footballer
Karel Fleischner, Czechoslovak table tennis player
Karel Fortyn (1930–2001), Czech physician
Karel Fraeye (born 1977), Belgian football manager
Karel Frankenstein (1897–1954), Czech sprinter
Karel Franta (1928–2017), Czech painter and illustrator
Karel Freja (1877–1937), Czech footballer
Karel Hendrik Geerts (1807–1885), Belgian sculptor
Karel Geraerts (born 1982), Belgian football manager
Karel Gleenewinkel Kamperdijk (1883–1975), Dutch footballer
Karel Goeyvaerts (1923–1993), Belgian composer
Karel Goppold (1894–1956), Bohemian fencer
Karel Gott (1939–2019), Czech singer
Karel Govaert (1900–1972), Belgian cyclist
Karel Gut (1927–2014), Czech ice hockey player and coach
Karel Guzmán (born 1995), Cuban basketball player
Karel Hájek (1900–1978), Czechoslovak photographer
Karel Halík (1883–?), Czech wrestler
Karel Halíř (1859–1909), Czech violinist
Karel Hanika (born 1996), Czech motorcycle racer
Karel Hardeman (1914–2010), Dutch rower
Karel Hartmann (1885–1944), Czechoslovak ice hockey player
Karel Hasil, Czech footballer
Karel Hašler (1879–1941), Czech songwriter and actor
Karel Havlíček (1907–1988), Czech painter
Karel Havlíček Borovský (1821–1856), Czech writer and journalist
Karel Havlík (1944–2021), Czech politician
Karel Heijting (1883–1951), Dutch footballer
Karel Heřmánek (born 1947), Czech actor
Karel Heyne (1877–1947), Dutch botanist
Karel Hirman (born 1970), Slovak engineer, manager and politician
Karel Hoffmann (1872–1936), Czech violinist
Karel Höger (1909–1977), Czechoslovak actor
Karel Holle (1829–1896), Dutch colonial administrator
Karel Holomek (1937–2023), Czech politician
Karel Holý (born 1956), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Hoplíček (1913–1964), Czech shot putter
Karel Anton Hošek (1871–1907), Czech Republic adventurer and revolutionary
Karel Hradil, multiple people
Karel Hrbáček, mathematician
Karel Hromádka (1887–1956), Czech chess player
Karel Hromádka (ice hockey) (1905–1978), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Hromas (born 1986), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Hrubeš (born 1993), Czech footballer
Karel Hrudik, Czechoslovak sprint canoer
Karel Hruška (1891–1966), Czech opera singer
Karel van der Hucht (born 1946), Dutch astronomer
Karel Husa (1921–2016), Czech composer and conductor
Karel Ferdinand Irmler (1650–?), Czech lawyer and university educator
Karel Jalovec (1892–?), Czech musicologist
Karel Janeček (born 1973), Czech mathematician and businessman
Karel Janák (born 1970), Czech director
Karel Janež (1914–2006), Slovenian gymnast
Karel Janoušek (1893–1971), Czechoslovak Air Force officer
Karel Janovický (1930–2024), Czech composer
Karel Jarolím (born 1956), Czech footballer
Karel Jarůšek (born 1952), Czech footballer and manager
Karel Javůrek (1815–1909), Czech painter
Karel Jindřichovský (born 1966), Czech handball player
Karel Jonker (born 1949), Canadian rower
Karel Kachyňa (1924–2004), Czech film director
Karel Kaers (1914–1972), Belgian cyclist
Karel Kalaš (1910–2001), Czech opera singer
Karel Kaplan (1928–2023), Czech historian
Karel Karafiát (born 1941), Czech rower
Karel Kašpar (born 1952), Czechoslovak boxer
Karel Kaufman (1898–1977), Dutch football manager
Karel Kavina (1890–1948), Czech botanist, educator and university educator
Karel Kesselaers (born 1959), Belgian footballer
Karel Klančnik (1917–2009), Yugoslavian ski jumper
Karel Klapálek (1893–1984), Czechoslovak legioneer and army general
Karel Klaver (born 1978), Dutch field hockey player
Karel Klečka (born 1936), Czech gymnast
Karel Klíč (1841–1926), Czech artist
Karel Klostermann (1848–1923), Czech-Austrian writer
Karel Knejzlík (born 1996), Czech footballer
Karel Kněnický (1908–1995), Czech sprinter
Karel Knesl (1942–2020), Czech footballer
Karel František Koch (1890–1981), known for rescuing Jews in Bratislava during Holocaust
Karel Kodejška (born 1947), Czech former ski jumper
Karel Kolář (1955–2017), Czechoslovak runner
Karel Koldovský (1898–1943), Czech ski jumper
Karel Kolesa (born 1942), Czech rower
Karel Kolský (1914–1984), Czech footballer and manager
Karel Komárek (born 1969), Czech businessman
Karel Komzák, multiple people
Karel Konrád, Czech writer and journalist
Karel Kopp (1903–1956), Czech architect
Karel Blažej Kopřiva (1766–1785), Czech organist and composer
Karel Košík, Czech philosopher, literary theorist and university educator
Karel Kovář, multiple people
Karel Kovařovic (1862–1920), Czech composer and conductor
Karel Koželuh (1895–1950), Czech sportsperson
Karel Kožíšek (born 1977), Czech canoeist
Karel Kramář (1860–1937), Czech politician
Karel Kratochvíl (born 1982), Czech footballer
Karel Kratz (1893–1962), Dutch water polo player
Karel Krautgartner (1922–1982), Czech musical artist
Karel Krejčí (born 1968), Czech footballer and manager
Karel Kroupa (born 1950), Czech footballer
Karel Kroupa Jr. (born 1980), Czech football player
Karel Kryl (1944–1994), Czechoslovak poet, singer and songwriter
Karel Kubát (born 1988), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Kubeška (born 1955), Czech curler and curling coach
Karel Kuhn (1915–?), Czech basketball player
Karel Kuklík (1937–2019), Czech photographer
Karel Kula (born 1963), Czech footballer
Karel Kuthan (1900–1962), Czech architect
Karel Kváček (1912–1986), Czech wrestler
Karel Lamač (1897–1952), Czech film director
Karel Lambert, American philosopher and logician
Karel Lang (born 1958), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Lavický (born 1985), Czech windsurfer
Karel Lavrič (1818–1876), Carniolan politician
Karel Lavrih (1915–1998), Yugoslav cyclist
Karel Lodewijk Ledeganck (1805–1847), Flemish writer
Karel Leština (born 1973), Czech sprint canoer
Karel Lidický (1900–1976), Czech sculptor
Karel Linz (born 1986), Czech volleyball player
Karel Lismont (born 1949), Belgian long-distance runner
Karel Loprais (1949–2021), Czech rally raid driver
Karel Hynek Mácha (1810–1836), Czech poet
Karel Majek (born 1992), Czech motorcycle racer
Karel Mallants (born 1935), Belgian footballer
Karel van Mallery (1571–1635), Flemish engraver
Karel van Mander (1548–1606), Flemish painter, poet and art historian
Karel van Mander III (1609–1670), Dutch painter
Karel van Mander the Younger (1579–1623), Dutch Golden Age painter
Karel Marquez (born 1982), Filipino entertainer
Karel Martens (born 1939), Dutch graphic designer
Karel Masopust (1942–2019), Czechoslovak ice hockey player
Karel Matoušek (1928–2018), Czech wrestler
Karel Mauser (1918–1977), Slovene poet, author and playwright
Karel Meijer (1884–1967), Dutch water polo player
Karel Mejta, multiple people
Karel Meulemans (born 1934), Belgian pigeon fancier
Karel Michal (1932–1984), Czech writer
Karel Michlowsky (1918–1998), Czech footballer and manager
Karel Miljon (1903–1984), Dutch boxer
Karel Minnie, South African politician
Karel Miry (1823–1889), Belgian composer
Karel Navrátil (1867–1936), Czech violinist and composer
Karel Ndjoba (1961–2014), Namibian military officer
Karel Nedobitý (1905–1986), Czech long-distance runner
Karel Nedvěd (1850–?), Czech runner
Karel Neffe (1948–2020), Czech rower
Karel Neffe Jr. (born 1985), Czech rower
Karel Nepomucký (born 1939), Czech footballer
Karel de Nerée tot Babberich (1880–1909), Dutch painter
Karel Nesl (1930–2009), Czech cyclist
Karel Niessen (1895–1967), Dutch physicist
Karel Nováček (born 1965), Czech tennis player
Karel Novák, Czechoslovak canoeist
Karel Novy, multiple people
Karel Ondříček (1863–1943), Czech violinist
Karel Oomen (1932–2022), Belgian wrestler
Karel Ooms (1845–1900), Belgian painter
Karel Otáhal (1901–1972), Czech sculptor
Karel Otčenášek (1920–2011), Czech Roman Catholic bishop
Karel Eduard Paar (born 1934), Czech Knight of Justice
Karel Paar (born 1945), Czech cyclist
Karel Pacák (1896–?), Czech long-distance runner
Karel Pacner (1936–2021), Czech publicist
Karel Pařík (1857–1942), Czech-born Bosnian architect
Karel Paulus (1933–2003), Czech volleyball player
Karel Pauzer, Czech graphic, sculptor and artist
Karel Pechan, Czech cyclist
Karel Pekelharing (1909–1944), Dutch dancer, choreographer and resistance member
Karel Pešek (1895–1970), Czech footballer and ice hockey player
Karel Pešek (motorcyclist) (born 1992), Czech motorcycle racer
Karel Petr (1868–1950), Czech mathematician
Karel Petrů (1891–1949), Czech football manager
Karel Pexidr (born 1929), Czechoslovak composer
Karel Pilař (born 1977), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Piták (born 1980), Czech footballer
Karel Plášek (born 1973), Czech professional ice hockey player
Karel Plicka (1894–1987), Czechoslovak photographer, director, cinematographer, folklorist and pedagogue
Karel Plíhal (born 1958), Czech musician
Karel van der Pluym (1625–1672), Dutch painter
Karel Poborský (born 1972), Czech football player
Karel Podhajský (born 1973), Czech footballer
Karel Poláček (1892–1945), Czech writer, humorist and journalist
Karel Poma (1920–2014), Belgian politician
Karel Potgieter (born 1975), South African shot putter
Karel Pott (1904–1953), Portuguese sprinter
Karel Prager (1923–2001), Czech architect
Karel Přibyl (1899–1968), Czech sprinter
Karel Prohl (born 1947), Czech weightlifter
Karel Průša (1938–2019), Czech speedway rider
Karel Purkyně (1834–1868), Austro-Hungarian painter
Karel Rachůnek (1979–2011), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Rada (born 1971), Czech footballer
Karel Raška (1909–1987), Czech physician and epidemiologist
Karel Reiner (1910–1979), Czech composer and pianist
Karel Reisz (1926–2002), Czech-born British filmmaker
Karel Řepa (1895–1963), Czechoslovak architect
Karel Richter, Nazi German spy
Karel Robětín (1889–1941), Czech tennis player
Karel Roden (born 1962), Czech actor
Karel Rottiers (born 1953), Belgian cyclist
Karel Rüütli (born 1978), Estonian politician
Karel Růžička, Czechoslovak bobsledder
Karel Růžička (pianist) (1940–2016), Czech jazz pianist, composer and music teacher
Karel Rychlík (1885–1968), Czech mathematician
Karel Sabbe, Belgian ultra runner
Karel Sabina (1813–1877), Czech writer and journalist
Karel Pravoslav Sádlo (1898–1971), Czech cellist
Karel Saitl (1924–2020), Czech weightlifter
Karel San Juan (born 1965), Jesuit Filipino priest from Marikina, Philippines
Karel Satsuit Tubun (1928–1965), police officer and National Hero of Indonesia
Karel Scheder (born 1950), Czechoslovak sprint canoer
Karel Schmuck (1913–?), Czech water polo player
Karel Schoeman (1939–2017), South African writer
Karel Schummelketel (1897–1981), Dutch equestrian
Karel Schwarzenberg (1937–2023), Czech politician
Karel Šebor (1843–1903), Czech composer
Karel Sedláček (born 1979), Czech darts player
Karel Senecký (1919–1979), Czech footballer
Karel Sesa, Indonesian academic
Karel Shook (1920–1985), American ballet master, choreographer and writer
Karel Šiktanc (1928–2021), Czech poet and children’s writer
Karel Škréta (1610–1674), Czech painter
Karel Slabbaert (1618–1654), Dutch painter and draftsman
Karel Sládeček, Czech politician
Karel Sladkovský (1823–1880), Czech journalist, writer and politician
Karel Slavíček (1678–1735), Czech scientist and missionary to China
Karel Smyczek (born 1950), Czech actor and director
Karel Snoeckx (born 1973), Belgian footballer
Karel Soucek (1947–1985), Canadian stuntman
Karel Sperber (1910–1957), surgeon imprisoned in Auschwitz
Karel Philips Spierincks (1609–1639), Flemish painter
Karel Špillar (1871–1939), Czech painter and graphic artist
Karel Štark (born 1942), Czech cyclist
Karel Starý, Bohemian gymnast
Karel Štěch (1908–1982), Czech landscape painter, graphic designer, woodcutter and illustrator
Karel van Steenhoven (born 1958), Dutch recorder player and composer
Karel Štefl (born 1982), Czech pair skater
Karel Štefl (cross-country skier) (1946–2017), Czech cross-country skier
Karel Steiner (1895–1934), Czechoslovak footballer
Karel Steklý (1903–1987), Czech film director
Karel Štěpánek (1899–1980), Czech actor
Karel Stibor (1923–1948), Czechoslovak ice hockey player
Karel Štogl (1973–2021), Czech lawyer
Karel Struijs (1892–1974), Dutch water polo player
Karel Šula (born 1959), Slovak shot putter
Karel Svoboda, multiple people
Karel Svolinský (1896–1986), Czech painter, graphic artist, illustrator and university professor
Karel Sys (1914–1990), Belgian boxer
Karel Tammjärv (born 1989), Estonian cross-country skier
Karel Teige (1900–1951), Czech artist
Karel Thijs (1918–1990), Belgian cyclist
Karel Thole (1914–2000), Dutch painter
Karel Tichota (born 1975), Czech footballer
Karel Tilga (born 1998), Estonian athlete
Karel Toman (1877–1946), Czech poet
Karel van der Toorn (born 1956), Dutch scholar of ancient religions
Karel Traxler (1866–1936), Czech chess player
Karel Treybal (1885–1941), Czech chess player
Karel Tůma, Czech modern pentathlete
Karel Tuns (1906–?), Belgian boxer
Karel Uher (born 1983), Czech male curler
Karel Urbánek (born 1941), Czech politician
Karel Urbánek (footballer) (1972–2007), Czech footballer
Karel Uyttersprot (born 1949), Belgian politician
Karel Vacek (born 2000), Czech cyclist
Karel Vácha (born 1970), Czech former football player
Karel Vachek (1940–2020), Czech director
Karel Van Hassel (1904–1989), Belgian cyclist
Karel Van Miert (1942–2009), Flemish socialist politician
Karel Van Roose (born 1990), Belgian footballer
Karel Večeřa (born 1955), Czech football manager
Karel Vejmelka (born 1996), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Velebný (1931–1989), Czech musician
Karel Verbist (1883–1909), Belgian cyclist
Karel Vinck (born 1938), Belgian businessman
Karel Vohralík (1945–1998), Czech ice hockey player
Karel Voolaid (born 1977), Estonian football player and manager
Karel Voous (1920–2002), Dutch ornithologist
Karel Vosátka (1929–2022), Czechoslovak figure skater
Karel Wälzer (1888–1948), Czechoslovak ice hockey player
Karel van der Weide (born 1973), Dutch chess grandmaster
Karel Weis (1862–1944), Czech composer
Karel Frederik Wenckebach (1864–1940), Dutch cardiologist
Karel Willemen (born 1967), Dutch designer
Karel Wiesner (1919–1986), Canadian chemist
Karel van de Woestijne (1878–1929), Flemish writer
Karel van Wolferen (born 1941), Dutch journalist, writer and professor
Karel Zahradnik (1848–1916), Czech mathematician
Karel Zelenka (born 1983), Czech-Italian figure skater
Karel Zeman (1910–1989), Czech filmmaker
Karel Zich (1949–2004), Czech composer, guitarist and singer
Karel Elodie Ziketh (born 1991), Ivorian hurdler
Karel Zlín (born 1937), Czech painter, sculptor and poet
Karel Zvonař (1912–1994), Czech wrestler

Notes

^ "Karel". Name-doctor.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
^ "Most frequent Czech male names" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
^ "Comparison of Czech newborn child names between 1999-2006" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. Retrieved 2007-12-07.

[1] "Karel". Name-doctor.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.

[2] "Most frequent Czech male names" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-12-07.

[3] "Comparison of Czech newborn child names between 1999-2006" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. Retrieved 2007-12-07.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Given name

See also

Notes