Karson
Boy name · #453 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Karson? In official American birth records, Karson has been tracked continuously since 1966, giving it 59 years of documented American history.
Karson is currently the #453 boy name in the United States — 690 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #293, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,609 boys born in 2025 was named Karson.
Babies named Karson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 59-year story
Karson first appears in the Social Security records in 1966, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 1,345 boys were named Karson — good for #265 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 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 "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
Geography matters for names, and Karson is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Karson is most common in MS (2.9 per 1,000), LA (1.6 per 1,000), KY (1.4 per 1,000), AL (1.3 per 1,000), SC (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Karson is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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 Kason, Kyson, Kaison, Lawson, and Samson.
KasonKysonKaisonLawsonSamsonEdisonKaysonCayson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 690 | #453 |
| 2024 | 819 | #397 |
| 2023 | 987 | #337 |
| 2022 | 988 | #339 |
| 2021 | 1,090 | #305 |
| 2020 | 1,289 | #266 |
| 2019 | 1,331 | #270 |
| 2018 | 1,345 | #265 |
| 2017 | 1,269 | #286 |
| 2016 | 1,104 | #318 |
| 2015 | 1,226 | #293 |
| 2014 | 1,039 | #328 |
| 2013 | 979 | #331 |
| 2012 | 838 | #363 |
| 2011 | 813 | #366 |
| 2010 | 760 | #380 |
| 2009 | 619 | #448 |
| 2008 | 566 | #487 |
| 2007 | 473 | #541 |
| 2006 | 450 | #559 |
| 2005 | 379 | #596 |
| 2004 | 354 | #603 |
| 2003 | 336 | #617 |
| 2002 | 270 | #678 |
| 2001 | 254 | #703 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karson?
In official American birth records, the name Karson first appeared in 1966 (over 59 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 59 years.
Is Karson a popular boy name?
Karson ranked #453 among boys in 2025 with 690 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #293.
When was the name Karson most popular?
Karson peaked in 2018, when 1,345 American boys received the name (ranked #265 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,609 newborn American boys was named Karson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.