Carter
Girl name · #455 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Carter? In official American birth records, Carter has been tracked continuously since 1918, giving it 107 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 679 baby girls were named Carter, placing it at #455 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #539, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,651 girls born in 2025 was named Carter.
Babies named Carter per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 107-year story
Carter first appears in the Social Security records in 1918, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 703 girls were named Carter — good for #457 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 Carter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carter in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carter is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Carter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carter is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Carter is most common in MO (1.2 per 1,000), SC (1.1 per 1,000), OK (1.1 per 1,000), NC (0.9 per 1,000), AL (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Carter is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Carter
Statistically, parents drawn to Carter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Wynter, Winter, Karter, Clover, and Sawyer.
WynterWinterKarterCloverSawyerDenverCharliCharlee
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 679 | #454 |
| 2024 | 605 | #508 |
| 2023 | 594 | #510 |
| 2022 | 553 | #550 |
| 2021 | 622 | #501 |
| 2020 | 587 | #514 |
| 2019 | 611 | #514 |
| 2018 | 655 | #478 |
| 2017 | 602 | #520 |
| 2016 | 703 | #457 |
| 2015 | 581 | #539 |
| 2014 | 355 | #790 |
| 2013 | 300 | #860 |
| 2012 | 246 | #1031 |
| 2011 | 195 | #1229 |
| 2010 | 160 | #1431 |
| 2009 | 119 | #1810 |
| 2008 | 104 | #2004 |
| 2007 | 102 | #2003 |
| 2006 | 123 | #1702 |
| 2005 | 120 | #1657 |
| 2004 | 114 | #1698 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1832 |
| 2002 | 66 | #2414 |
| 2001 | 80 | #2075 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carter?
In official American birth records, the name Carter first appeared in 1918 (over 107 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 107 years.
Is Carter a popular girl name?
Carter ranked #455 among girls in 2025 with 679 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #539.
When was the name Carter most popular?
Carter peaked in 2016, when 703 American girls received the name (ranked #457 that year). Since 2016 the name has recovered some ground.
How rare is the name Carter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,651 newborn American girls was named Carter. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.