Carter
Boy name · #45 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Carter? In official American birth records, Carter has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Carter is currently the #45 boy name in the United States — 6,024 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #24, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 299 boys born in 2025 was named Carter.
The 144-year story
Carter first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 12 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 10,814 boys were named Carter — good for #24 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.
Babies named Carter per year. Source: Official national birth records.
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 "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Carter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carter is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Carter is most common in WY (15 per 1,000), NH (10 per 1,000), DE (9.2 per 1,000), VT (9.1 per 1,000), WV (8.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.1 per 1,000 boys. 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 Cooper, Parker, Sawyer, Ryder, and Josiah.
CooperParkerSawyerRyderJosiahWyattXavierJackson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,024 | #45 |
| 2024 | 6,289 | #46 |
| 2023 | 5,878 | #48 |
| 2022 | 6,361 | #47 |
| 2021 | 7,205 | #39 |
| 2020 | 7,577 | #33 |
| 2019 | 8,682 | #30 |
| 2018 | 9,385 | #24 |
| 2017 | 9,833 | #24 |
| 2016 | 10,220 | #26 |
| 2015 | 10,814 | #24 |
| 2014 | 10,691 | #27 |
| 2013 | 9,590 | #33 |
| 2012 | 9,274 | #36 |
| 2011 | 8,608 | #41 |
| 2010 | 8,164 | #48 |
| 2009 | 8,173 | #50 |
| 2008 | 7,069 | #65 |
| 2007 | 6,101 | #80 |
| 2006 | 6,433 | #75 |
| 2005 | 5,899 | #77 |
| 2004 | 5,009 | #89 |
| 2003 | 4,171 | #102 |
| 2002 | 3,480 | #108 |
| 2001 | 3,435 | #111 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carter?
In official American birth records, the name Carter first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 12 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Carter a popular boy name?
Carter ranked #45 among boys in 2025 with 6,024 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #24.
When was the name Carter most popular?
Carter peaked in 2015, when 10,814 American boys received the name (ranked #24 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 299 newborn American boys was named Carter. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.