Karoly

Karoly is a masculine given name, the Hungarian form of Charles. It derives from the Germanic name Karl, generally interpreted as “free man.” In Hungarian, the standard spelling includes a diacritic, Károly; the non-diacritic variant Karoly is common in English-language texts and in contexts where diacritics are not used.

In Hungary, Károly has a long history of use and appears in royal and noble lineages. A prominent bearer is Károly Róbert (Charles I of Hungary), who reigned from 1308 to 1342 and played a key role in consolidating the Hungarian kingdom. The name remains widely used among Hungarian families and in Hungarian communities abroad, maintaining cultural and historical associations with Hungary’s legacy.

Variants and cross-language forms of the name include Karl or Charles in Germanic and Romance languages, and Karol in Polish and Slovak contexts. The non-diacritic spelling Karoly or Karoly appears in international or genealogical records where diacritics are not used, reflecting the name’s adaptation across languages and regions.