A variant of Charlotte, the French feminine form of Charles, meaning "free man."
Sharlette is a phonetically rendered variant of Charlotte, one of the great names of European history, itself the French feminine form of Charles. Charles derives from the Old High German 'karl,' meaning 'free man' or simply 'man' in the sense of a full adult member of society. The name Charles was carried to its greatest glory by Charlemagne — Charles the Great — whose eighth-century Frankish empire shaped the political and cultural foundations of medieval Europe, making the name almost synonymous with kingship and authority for centuries.
Charlotte became the preferred French feminization and spread across European courts through royal marriages and alliances. In England, Queen Charlotte, the German-born consort of King George III, gave the name particular prestige, and the city of Charlotte, North Carolina — founded in 1768 — bears her name. Charlotte experienced waves of fashion across the centuries, beloved in the Victorian era, briefly dormant in the mid-twentieth century, and now experiencing a major global revival as one of the most popular girls' names worldwide.
Sharlette represents an Americanized respelling that emerged in communities seeking to personalize the classic name — the 'Sh' opening gives it a warmer, more intimate sound than the French-inflected 'Ch,' and the '-ette' suffix maintains the diminutive charm of the original. It was used with particular frequency in mid-century America, carrying a sense of working-class elegance and distinctive individuality. Sharlette wears the Charlotte heritage without being absorbed by it — a variation that declares its own identity while honoring a magnificent lineage.