An English word-name from Old French chartre, referring to a legal document or grant.
Charter is an English word-name drawn from Old French chartre, referring to a legal document, grant, or formal instrument of authority. As a given name, it has the crispness of a term from law or governance, which gives it an unusual seriousness among modern word names.
It carries the sense of permission, contract, or established right, all of which are a long way from the softer virtue names but still operate as abstract markers of identity. Because Charter is so tied to institutions and record-keeping, it feels more severe and angular than many of the newer English word names. That severity can be part of its appeal: it sounds exact, structured, and a little rarefied.
In modern use, a name like this suggests independence and formality rather than sentimentality. Charter is not a traditional hereditary name, but it does have the dignity of language that once mattered in public life, which gives it a distinct and somewhat austere charm.