Karson
Girl name · #3609 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karson? In official American birth records, Karson has been tracked continuously since 1980, giving it 45 years of documented American history.
Karson is currently the #3609 girl name in the United States — 42 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2685, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 girls born in 2025 was named Karson.
The 45-year story
Karson first appears in the Social Security records in 1980, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1999, when 105 girls were named Karson — good for #1596 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 Karson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karson is most common
State-level data for Karson is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Karson
Statistically, parents drawn to Karson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mayson, Mason, Grayson, Carson, and Kameron.
MaysonMasonGraysonCarsonKameronKarsenKiarahPaxton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #3577 |
| 2024 | 52 | #3081 |
| 2023 | 49 | #3274 |
| 2022 | 57 | #2928 |
| 2021 | 47 | #3339 |
| 2020 | 53 | #3015 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2018 | 68 | #2557 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2016 | 84 | #2269 |
| 2015 | 66 | #2685 |
| 2014 | 53 | #3112 |
| 2013 | 75 | #2408 |
| 2012 | 63 | #2770 |
| 2011 | 65 | #2695 |
| 2010 | 68 | #2642 |
| 2009 | 59 | #2940 |
| 2008 | 50 | #3316 |
| 2007 | 47 | #3482 |
| 2006 | 54 | #3090 |
| 2005 | 77 | #2314 |
| 2004 | 67 | #2503 |
| 2003 | 85 | #2084 |
| 2002 | 62 | #2527 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1941 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karson?
In official American birth records, the name Karson first appeared in 1980 (over 45 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 45 years.
Is Karson a popular girl name?
Karson ranked #3609 among girls in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2685.
When was the name Karson most popular?
Karson peaked in 1999, when 105 American girls received the name (ranked #1596 that year). Since 1999 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American girls was named Karson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.