Carter
Girl name · #455 in 2025 · Uniqueness 49/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Carter scores 49 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 Carter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carter is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Carters were TX (79), CA (47), NC (42), GA (33), FL (31). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 49/100 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.