Carl
- Last seen for girls in 1994 at #11,778
- #1,132 for boys in 2025, 187 births
- Given to boys 99.4% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1915 · 6,613 births
- Debut · boys
- 372 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 100 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 504,827since 1880
Carl over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #1,132 | 187 | |
| 2024 | — | #1,031 | 216 | |
| 2023 | — | #964 | 233 | |
| 2022 | — | #1,012 | 220 | |
| 2021 | — | #922 | 246 | |
| 2020 | — | #812 | 286 | |
| 2019 | — | #748 | 319 | |
| 2018 | — | #701 | 345 | |
| 2017 | — | #628 | 415 | |
| 2016 | — | #605 | 445 | |
| 2015 | — | #599 | 457 | |
| 2014 | — | #612 | 436 | |
| 2013 | — | #578 | 446 | |
| 2012 | — | #536 | 487 | |
| 2011 | — | #588 | 426 | |
| 2010 | — | #563 | 449 | |
| 2009 | — | #521 | 519 | |
| 2008 | — | #491 | 559 | |
| 2007 | — | #445 | 628 | |
| 2006 | — | #427 | 658 | |
| 2005 | — | #415 | 653 | |
| 2004 | — | #369 | 752 | |
| 2003 | — | #354 | 775 | |
| 2002 | — | #349 | 784 | |
| 2001 | — | #318 | 882 | |
| 2000 | — | #304 | 988 | |
| 1999 | — | #290 | 996 | |
| 1998 | — | #260 | 1,147 | |
| 1997 | — | #260 | 1,093 | |
| 1996 | — | #250 | 1,184 | |
| 1995 | — | #213 | 1,380 | |
| 1994 | #11,778 | 6 | #204 | 1,415 |
| 1993 | #10,588 | 7 | #193 | 1,585 |
| 1992 | #7,512 | 11 | #181 | 1,782 |
| 1991 | #10,271 | 7 | #168 | 1,922 |
| 1990 | #11,409 | 6 | #145 | 2,189 |
| 1989 | #5,545 | 15 | #135 | 2,259 |
| 1988 | #3,225 | 30 | #126 | 2,318 |
| 1987 | #3,101 | 30 | #126 | 2,223 |
| 1986 | #2,724 | 35 | #114 | 2,444 |
| 1985 | #3,246 | 27 | #112 | 2,526 |
| 1984 | #3,329 | 25 | #108 | 2,567 |
| 1983 | #2,595 | 34 | #106 | 2,605 |
| 1982 | #2,185 | 46 | #104 | 2,802 |
| 1981 | #2,774 | 32 | #106 | 2,793 |
| 1980 | #2,651 | 35 | #103 | 2,935 |
| 1979 | #3,442 | 23 | #100 | 2,898 |
| 1978 | #2,237 | 41 | #100 | 2,606 |
| 1977 | #2,307 | 39 | #99 | 2,615 |
| 1976 | #2,486 | 32 | #95 | 2,670 |
| 1975 | #1,877 | 48 | #91 | 2,810 |
| 1974 | #2,254 | 35 | #89 | 2,895 |
| 1973 | #1,857 | 45 | #90 | 3,013 |
| 1972 | #2,135 | 36 | #85 | 3,406 |
| 1971 | #2,175 | 37 | #72 | 4,055 |
| 1970 | #1,755 | 51 | #66 | 4,402 |
| 1969 | #1,897 | 43 | #62 | 4,522 |
| 1968 | #1,909 | 39 | #59 | 4,645 |
| 1967 | #1,848 | 40 | #57 | 4,890 |
| 1966 | #1,700 | 44 | #56 | 5,227 |
| 1965 | #2,064 | 32 | #54 | 5,797 |
| 1964 | #1,918 | 38 | #55 | 6,661 |
| 1963 | #1,894 | 38 | #54 | 7,128 |
| 1962 | #1,989 | 34 | #58 | 6,854 |
| 1961 | #1,893 | 37 | #56 | 7,255 |
| 1960 | #1,501 | 54 | #53 | 7,808 |
| 1959 | #1,820 | 37 | #54 | 7,501 |
| 1958 | #1,630 | 43 | #51 | 7,734 |
| 1957 | #1,989 | 30 | #49 | 8,192 |
| 1956 | #1,897 | 32 | #48 | 8,313 |
| 1955 | #1,877 | 32 | #47 | 8,294 |
| 1954 | #1,949 | 29 | #47 | 8,137 |
| 1953 | #2,122 | 24 | #44 | 7,829 |
| 1952 | #2,411 | 19 | #45 | 7,823 |
| 1951 | #1,528 | 38 | #43 | 7,641 |
| 1950 | #1,794 | 28 | #44 | 7,288 |
| 1949 | #1,564 | 35 | #43 | 7,689 |
| 1948 | #1,598 | 34 | #42 | 7,829 |
| 1947 | #1,697 | 32 | #40 | 8,050 |
| 1946 | #1,808 | 25 | #39 | 7,380 |
| 1945 | #1,621 | 26 | #39 | 6,314 |
| 1944 | #1,486 | 30 | #36 | 6,825 |
| 1943 | #1,291 | 40 | #33 | 7,472 |
| 1942 | #1,438 | 32 | #36 | 7,268 |
| 1941 | #1,384 | 31 | #29 | 7,160 |
| 1940 | #1,347 | 31 | #32 | 6,752 |
| 1939 | #1,066 | 45 | #30 | 6,593 |
| 1938 | #1,288 | 32 | #29 | 6,849 |
| 1937 | #1,196 | 36 | #28 | 6,914 |
| 1936 | #1,096 | 41 | #27 | 6,591 |
| 1935 | #1,449 | 26 | #28 | 6,693 |
| 1934 | #1,148 | 38 | #28 | 6,683 |
| 1933 | #1,197 | 35 | #28 | 6,188 |
| 1932 | #1,043 | 46 | #28 | 6,714 |
| 1931 | #941 | 54 | #28 | 6,583 |
| 1930 | #956 | 58 | #26 | 6,951 |
| 1929 | #1,032 | 50 | #28 | 6,895 |
| 1928 | #954 | 61 | #28 | 6,946 |
| 1927 | #1,010 | 57 | #26 | 7,277 |
| 1926 | #1,096 | 47 | #26 | 6,939 |
| 1925 | #1,074 | 50 | #28 | 7,061 |
| 1924 | #1,151 | 46 | #27 | 7,085 |
| 1923 | #1,084 | 49 | #28 | 6,871 |
| 1922 | #1,103 | 48 | #30 | 6,690 |
| 1921 | #1,184 | 42 | #30 | 7,077 |
| 1920 | #1,119 | 45 | #27 | 7,010 |
| 1919 | #1,090 | 45 | #29 | 6,474 |
| 1918 | #1,005 | 51 | #25 | 7,004 |
| 1917 | #1,040 | 46 | #24 | 6,699 |
| 1916 | #1,127 | 39 | #23 | 6,785 |
| 1915 | #1,285 | 30 | #22 | 6,613 |
| 1914 | #1,034 | 33 | #24 | 4,807 |
| 1913 | #1,091 | 25 | #23 | 3,935 |
| 1912 | #1,218 | 19 | #24 | 3,224 |
| 1911 | #1,300 | 13 | #26 | 1,574 |
| 1910 | #1,335 | 12 | #26 | 1,339 |
| 1909 | #1,369 | 10 | #25 | 1,215 |
| 1908 | #1,439 | 9 | #29 | 1,074 |
| 1907 | #1,384 | 9 | #27 | 1,018 |
| 1906 | #1,727 | 6 | #27 | 951 |
| 1905 | #1,162 | 11 | #26 | 959 |
| 1904 | #1,486 | 7 | #25 | 953 |
| 1903 | #1,592 | 6 | #23 | 910 |
| 1902 | #1,219 | 9 | #24 | 952 |
| 1901 | #1,136 | 9 | #24 | 817 |
| 1900 | #1,231 | 10 | #29 | 1,016 |
| 1899 | #1,278 | 7 | #25 | 774 |
| 1898 | #1,263 | 8 | #24 | 919 |
| 1897 | #931 | 12 | #25 | 828 |
| 1896 | #1,583 | 5 | #25 | 852 |
| 1895 | #858 | 14 | #22 | 851 |
| 1894 | #998 | 10 | #22 | 861 |
| 1893 | #1,175 | 7 | #24 | 786 |
| 1892 | #958 | 10 | #25 | 808 |
| 1891 | #893 | 10 | #24 | 675 |
| 1890 | #1,006 | 8 | #27 | 693 |
| 1889 | #1,147 | 6 | #27 | 704 |
| 1888 | #837 | 10 | #29 | 675 |
| 1887 | #937 | 7 | #28 | 588 |
| 1886 | #993 | 6 | #32 | 556 |
| 1885 | #1,047 | 5 | #34 | 494 |
| 1884 | — | #36 | 521 | |
| 1883 | — | #32 | 480 | |
| 1882 | — | #34 | 478 | |
| 1881 | — | #41 | 359 | |
| 1880 | — | #42 | 372 | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Carl was already there! It came in at #42, and was given to 372 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 2021–2025, when fewer than 250 boys a year got the name.
Where Carl is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Kansas#352 · 1 in 1,405
- Kentucky#526 · 1 in 2,567
- Oregon#604 · 1 in 3,012
- New Jersey#707 · 1 in 4,418
- Ohio#710 · 1 in 4,378
Best ever in a state: #5 in Alaska, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | #352 | 10 | 1 in 1,405 |
| Kentucky | #526 | 8 | 1 in 2,567 |
| Oregon | #604 | 5 | 1 in 3,012 |
| New Jersey | #707 | 9 | 1 in 4,418 |
| Ohio | #710 | 12 | 1 in 4,378 |
| Indiana | #711 | 8 | 1 in 3,958 |
| Tennessee | #777 | 8 | 1 in 4,596 |
| Missouri | #789 | 6 | 1 in 4,635 |
| Michigan | #829 | 8 | 1 in 5,024 |
| Illinois | #870 | 9 | 1 in 5,506 |
| North Carolina | #936 | 8 | 1 in 6,434 |
| New York | #1,202 | 9 | 1 in 9,380 |
| Florida | #1,256 | 9 | 1 in 10,615 |
| Texas | #1,347 | 14 | 1 in 12,504 |
| Georgia | #1,350 | 5 | 1 in 10,044 |
| California | #1,438 | 12 | 1 in 14,623 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Carl
Momentum · boys
Falling
- 320 spots since 2020 (#812 → #1,132)
- Biggest jump: 52 spots in 2012
- Biggest drop: 110 spots in 2021
Rise & fade · boys
35 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1915 at #22 (6,613 births)
- Births halved by 1973, 58 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 100 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 100 yrs · run 1880–1979
- Top 1,000: 143 yrs · run 1880–2021
Share of babies · boys
1 in 128
- Highest: 1 in 128 boys born in 1915 were named Carl (0.78%)
- Latest: 1 in 9,134 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · boys
The 1950s
- 15.6% of all boys named Carl (78,752) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,227 | #27 (1889) | #34 |
| 1890s | 8,047 | #22 (1894) | #24 |
| 1900s | 9,865 | #23 (1903) | #26 |
| 1910s | 48,454 | #22 (1915) | #25 |
| 1920s | 69,851 | #26 (1927) | #28 |
| 1930s | 66,759 | #26 (1930) | #28 |
| 1940s | 72,739 | #29 (1941) | #37 |
| 1950s | 78,752 | #43 (1951) | #47 |
| 1960s | 60,787 | #53 (1960) | #56 |
| 1970s | 31,370 | #66 (1970) | #89 |
| 1980s | 25,472 | #103 (1980) | #114 |
| 1990s | 14,693 | #145 (1990) | #216 |
| 2000s | 7,198 | #304 (2000) | #399 |
| 2010s | 4,225 | #536 (2012) | #616 |
| 2020s | 1,388 | #812 (2020) | #979 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Carl ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: