Chaz

Chaz is a masculine given name, commonly a short form of Charles. It is used in English-speaking countries and is sometimes adopted as a standalone given name in its own right.

Etymology and usage: The name Chaz derives from Charles through diminutive forms and has been used as a casual or familiar form of the name. In contemporary usage, it appears in various cultural contexts as both a nickname and a given name.

Notable people named Chaz include Chaz Bono (born 1969), American writer, musician, and transgender rights advocate; Chaz Davies (born 1987), Welsh motorcycle racer; and Chaz Bundick (born 1986), American musician known by the stage name Toro y Moi. Other individuals with the name have gained recognition in sports, entertainment, and public life.

In 2020, CHAZ stood for Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a protest occupation in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood that emerged during the George Floyd protests. The zone was formed by demonstrators seeking to establish a self-governing area and was later renamed CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest) before dissolving amid safety and governance concerns.

The name Chaz remains in use as a given name or nickname in various English-speaking communities. Beyond personal names, the acronym CHAZ is most commonly associated with the Seattle protest zone in recent history.