Karter
Girl name · #990 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Karter is currently the #990 girl name in the United States — 256 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #692, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,031 girls born in 2025 was named Karter.
Babies named Karter per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 28-year story
Karter first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 410 girls were named Karter — good for #692 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 Karter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karter in class?
Karter scores 66 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 Karter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Karter is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Karters were TX (34), CA (16), FL (15), GA (13), NC (13). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Karter
Statistically, parents drawn to Karter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carter, Kimber, Wynter, Winter, and Porter.
CarterKimberWynterWinterPorterDenverSailorKinslee
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 256 | #987 |
| 2024 | 257 | #1001 |
| 2023 | 303 | #887 |
| 2022 | 312 | #892 |
| 2021 | 319 | #860 |
| 2020 | 297 | #893 |
| 2019 | 370 | #758 |
| 2018 | 312 | #870 |
| 2017 | 351 | #783 |
| 2016 | 410 | #701 |
| 2015 | 410 | #692 |
| 2014 | 274 | #972 |
| 2013 | 167 | #1385 |
| 2012 | 132 | #1629 |
| 2011 | 87 | #2173 |
| 2010 | 94 | #2093 |
| 2009 | 52 | #3189 |
| 2008 | 23 | #5955 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8098 |
| 2006 | 32 | #4463 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10128 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5744 |
| 2003 | 16 | #6885 |
| 2002 | 18 | #6129 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10102 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karter a popular girl name?
Karter ranked #990 among girls in 2025 with 256 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #692.
When was the name Karter most popular?
Karter peaked in 2015, when 410 American girls received the name (ranked #692 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,031 newborn American girls was named Karter. It scores 66/100 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.