Carlos
Boy name · #150 in 2025 · Uniqueness 46/100
Carlos ranks #150 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 2,418 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #118, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 744 boys born in 2025 was named Carlos.
Babies named Carlos per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Carlos first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 17 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 6,842 boys were named Carlos — good for #59 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carlos against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carlos in class?
Carlos scores 46 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Carlos is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carlos is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Carloss were TX (535), CA (442), FL (164), AZ (130), NY (80). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Carlos
Statistically, parents drawn to Carlos tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jesus, Marcos, Luis, Nicolas, and Andres.
JesusMarcosLuisNicolasAndresClaytonAntonioConnor
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carlos | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,418 | #150 |
| 2024 | 2,626 | #135 |
| 2023 | 2,557 | #139 |
| 2022 | 2,594 | #147 |
| 2021 | 2,506 | #151 |
| 2020 | 2,480 | #149 |
| 2019 | 2,846 | #134 |
| 2018 | 2,864 | #138 |
| 2017 | 3,075 | #134 |
| 2016 | 3,204 | #129 |
| 2015 | 3,421 | #118 |
| 2014 | 3,424 | #118 |
| 2013 | 3,684 | #106 |
| 2012 | 4,010 | #95 |
| 2011 | 4,182 | #91 |
| 2010 | 4,591 | #89 |
| 2009 | 5,379 | #79 |
| 2008 | 6,054 | #73 |
| 2007 | 6,420 | #70 |
| 2006 | 6,549 | #70 |
| 2005 | 6,563 | #70 |
| 2004 | 6,260 | #71 |
| 2003 | 6,218 | #66 |
| 2002 | 6,592 | #65 |
| 2001 | 6,842 | #59 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Carlos a popular boy name?
Carlos ranked #150 among boys in 2025 with 2,418 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #118.
When was the name Carlos most popular?
Carlos peaked in 2001, when 6,842 American boys received the name (ranked #59 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carlos?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 744 newborn American boys was named Carlos. It scores 46/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.