Carter
Boy nameCarter has been given to 216,871 babies in the U.S. since 1881. It peaked in 2015 and currently ranks #454 for girls and #45 for boys (2025).
Meaning & origin /ˈkɑɹtɚ/
As an English name, from the occupation carter. As an Irish name, from Irish Mac Artúir (literally “son of Arthur”).
Origin: surnames
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
216,871
Peak year
2015 (11,395 babies)
Rank in 2025
#454 for girls · #45 for boys
First recorded
1881
10-year trend
▼ -41%
Gender split
5% girls / 95% boys
Famous people named Carter
Carter Burwell
American film composer (born 1954)
Carter Jenkins
American actor
Carter Cruise
American pornographic actress
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Carter.
Get new name insights first
Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.