Karter
Boy name · #270 in 2025 · Uniqueness 64/100
Karter ranks #270 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,265 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #183, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,423 boys born in 2025 was named Karter.
The 40-year story
Karter first appears in the Social Security records in 1985, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 2,425 boys were named Karter — good for #163 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 Karter per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karter in class?
Karter scores 64 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 (129), GA (96), FL (90), NC (72), CA (60). 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 Porter, Xander, Ryker, Kayson, and Sawyer.
PorterXanderRykerKaysonSawyerGunnerJasperKaiser
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,265 | #270 |
| 2024 | 1,431 | #248 |
| 2023 | 1,597 | #225 |
| 2022 | 1,743 | #217 |
| 2021 | 1,919 | #201 |
| 2020 | 2,340 | #162 |
| 2019 | 2,425 | #163 |
| 2018 | 2,239 | #176 |
| 2017 | 2,286 | #174 |
| 2016 | 2,125 | #188 |
| 2015 | 2,286 | #183 |
| 2014 | 2,117 | #194 |
| 2013 | 1,179 | #299 |
| 2012 | 886 | #349 |
| 2011 | 727 | #390 |
| 2010 | 604 | #443 |
| 2009 | 466 | #567 |
| 2008 | 362 | #668 |
| 2007 | 268 | #801 |
| 2006 | 239 | #844 |
| 2005 | 202 | #892 |
| 2004 | 143 | #1101 |
| 2003 | 139 | #1103 |
| 2002 | 101 | #1315 |
| 2001 | 102 | #1287 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karter a popular boy name?
Karter ranked #270 among boys in 2025 with 1,265 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #183.
When was the name Karter most popular?
Karter peaked in 2019, when 2,425 American boys received the name (ranked #163 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,423 newborn American boys was named Karter. It scores 64/100 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.