Carter
#454 for girls in 2025, 679 births · #45 for boys in 2025, 6,024 births
Given to boys 95.4% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 2015 · 10,814 births
- Debut · boys
- 12 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 22 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 206,833since 1881
Carter over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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 | #454 | 679 | #45 | 6,024 |
| 2024 | #508 | 605 | #46 | 6,289 |
| 2023 | #510 | 594 | #48 | 5,878 |
| 2022 | #550 | 553 | #47 | 6,361 |
| 2021 | #501 | 622 | #39 | 7,205 |
| 2020 | #514 | 587 | #33 | 7,577 |
| 2019 | #514 | 611 | #30 | 8,682 |
| 2018 | #478 | 655 | #24 | 9,385 |
| 2017 | #520 | 602 | #24 | 9,833 |
| 2016 | #457 | 703 | #26 | 10,220 |
| 2015 | #539 | 581 | #24 | 10,814 |
| 2014 | #790 | 355 | #27 | 10,691 |
| 2013 | #860 | 300 | #33 | 9,590 |
| 2012 | #1,031 | 246 | #36 | 9,274 |
| 2011 | #1,229 | 195 | #41 | 8,608 |
| 2010 | #1,431 | 160 | #48 | 8,164 |
| 2009 | #1,810 | 119 | #50 | 8,173 |
| 2008 | #2,004 | 104 | #65 | 7,069 |
| 2007 | #2,003 | 102 | #80 | 6,101 |
| 2006 | #1,702 | 123 | #75 | 6,433 |
| 2005 | #1,657 | 120 | #77 | 5,899 |
| 2004 | #1,698 | 114 | #89 | 5,009 |
| 2003 | #1,832 | 101 | #102 | 4,171 |
| 2002 | #2,414 | 66 | #108 | 3,480 |
| 2001 | #2,075 | 80 | #111 | 3,435 |
| 2000 | #1,869 | 91 | #152 | 2,550 |
| 1999 | #1,893 | 83 | #179 | 1,944 |
| 1998 | #2,244 | 63 | #189 | 1,800 |
| 1997 | #2,229 | 61 | #204 | 1,540 |
| 1996 | #2,084 | 66 | #243 | 1,216 |
| 1995 | #2,244 | 59 | #286 | 919 |
| 1994 | #2,752 | 44 | #421 | 544 |
| 1993 | #2,725 | 44 | #419 | 550 |
| 1992 | #3,581 | 30 | #450 | 487 |
| 1991 | #2,843 | 41 | #498 | 391 |
| 1990 | #3,364 | 32 | #549 | 334 |
| 1989 | #4,248 | 22 | #565 | 294 |
| 1988 | #5,321 | 15 | #569 | 265 |
| 1987 | #3,331 | 27 | #624 | 213 |
| 1986 | #3,890 | 21 | #665 | 182 |
| 1985 | #3,517 | 24 | #670 | 175 |
| 1984 | #4,737 | 15 | #742 | 137 |
| 1983 | #6,705 | 9 | #811 | 116 |
| 1982 | #5,534 | 12 | #809 | 119 |
| 1981 | #5,885 | 11 | #971 | 86 |
| 1980 | #7,418 | 8 | #924 | 93 |
| 1979 | — | #1,116 | 64 | |
| 1978 | #6,385 | 9 | #1,034 | 71 |
| 1977 | #5,532 | 11 | #773 | 121 |
| 1976 | #4,363 | 14 | #651 | 158 |
| 1975 | #5,516 | 10 | #635 | 162 |
| 1974 | #4,227 | 14 | #686 | 142 |
| 1973 | #4,871 | 11 | #700 | 131 |
| 1972 | #5,480 | 9 | #617 | 163 |
| 1971 | #4,810 | 11 | #600 | 191 |
| 1970 | #5,413 | 9 | #655 | 156 |
| 1969 | #5,456 | 8 | #646 | 150 |
| 1968 | #6,246 | 6 | #675 | 124 |
| 1967 | — | #634 | 140 | |
| 1966 | — | #656 | 127 | |
| 1965 | #4,831 | 8 | #697 | 113 |
| 1964 | — | #669 | 132 | |
| 1963 | #5,296 | 7 | #620 | 158 |
| 1962 | #4,263 | 10 | #678 | 130 |
| 1961 | #5,851 | 6 | #674 | 132 |
| 1960 | — | #665 | 139 | |
| 1959 | #5,031 | 7 | #666 | 132 |
| 1958 | #6,103 | 5 | #601 | 166 |
| 1957 | #6,086 | 5 | #652 | 139 |
| 1956 | #4,837 | 7 | #573 | 176 |
| 1955 | #4,069 | 9 | #607 | 149 |
| 1954 | — | #528 | 191 | |
| 1953 | #4,226 | 8 | #557 | 161 |
| 1952 | #4,123 | 8 | #559 | 156 |
| 1951 | #4,011 | 8 | #522 | 172 |
| 1950 | #4,315 | 7 | #514 | 170 |
| 1949 | #4,673 | 6 | #495 | 178 |
| 1948 | #3,593 | 9 | #543 | 150 |
| 1947 | — | #502 | 178 | |
| 1946 | — | #524 | 149 | |
| 1945 | — | #537 | 124 | |
| 1944 | #4,574 | 5 | #548 | 122 |
| 1943 | #4,691 | 5 | #550 | 130 |
| 1942 | — | #587 | 112 | |
| 1941 | #3,559 | 7 | #569 | 109 |
| 1940 | #3,863 | 6 | #635 | 88 |
| 1939 | #3,782 | 6 | #675 | 77 |
| 1938 | — | #568 | 106 | |
| 1937 | — | #579 | 99 | |
| 1936 | — | #581 | 98 | |
| 1935 | — | #575 | 101 | |
| 1934 | — | #597 | 97 | |
| 1933 | — | #668 | 77 | |
| 1932 | — | #763 | 68 | |
| 1931 | #3,497 | 7 | #677 | 78 |
| 1930 | — | #824 | 62 | |
| 1929 | — | #752 | 71 | |
| 1928 | — | #722 | 78 | |
| 1927 | #3,284 | 9 | #702 | 85 |
| 1926 | — | #671 | 89 | |
| 1925 | #4,426 | 6 | #678 | 89 |
| 1924 | — | #603 | 112 | |
| 1923 | — | #711 | 83 | |
| 1922 | — | #666 | 93 | |
| 1921 | — | #722 | 83 | |
| 1920 | #4,975 | 5 | #635 | 98 |
| 1919 | — | #580 | 107 | |
| 1918 | #4,809 | 5 | #628 | 95 |
| 1917 | — | #620 | 91 | |
| 1916 | — | #641 | 83 | |
| 1915 | — | #657 | 78 | |
| 1914 | — | #508 | 92 | |
| 1913 | — | #777 | 37 | |
| 1912 | — | #608 | 45 | |
| 1911 | — | #597 | 26 | |
| 1910 | — | #556 | 26 | |
| 1909 | — | #558 | 22 | |
| 1908 | — | #499 | 25 | |
| 1907 | — | #591 | 18 | |
| 1906 | — | #613 | 15 | |
| 1905 | — | #592 | 16 | |
| 1904 | — | #417 | 25 | |
| 1903 | — | #411 | 23 | |
| 1902 | — | #687 | 11 | |
| 1901 | — | #559 | 13 | |
| 1900 | — | #402 | 31 | |
| 1899 | — | #521 | 14 | |
| 1898 | — | #573 | 14 | |
| 1897 | — | #495 | 16 | |
| 1896 | — | #592 | 13 | |
| 1895 | — | #738 | 9 | |
| 1894 | — | #502 | 16 | |
| 1893 | — | #538 | 13 | |
| 1892 | — | #458 | 18 | |
| 1891 | — | #497 | 13 | |
| 1890 | — | #739 | 8 | |
| 1889 | — | #581 | 11 | |
| 1888 | — | #505 | 15 | |
| 1887 | — | #488 | 13 | |
| 1886 | — | #470 | 15 | |
| 1885 | — | #604 | 10 | |
| 1884 | — | #520 | 13 | |
| 1883 | — | #556 | 11 | |
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | #503 | 12 | |
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Carter! It came in at #503, and was given to 12 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1882, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Carter is popular in 1986
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- North Dakota#150 · 1 in 1,031
- Minnesota#275 · 1 in 3,842
- Kentucky#316 · 1 in 3,987
- Maryland#418 · 1 in 5,659
- Virginia#430 · 1 in 5,402
Best ever in a state: #1 in North Dakota, 2008.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | #150 | 5 | 1 in 1,031 |
| Minnesota | #275 | 8 | 1 in 3,842 |
| Kentucky | #316 | 6 | 1 in 3,987 |
| Maryland | #418 | 5 | 1 in 5,659 |
| Virginia | #430 | 7 | 1 in 5,402 |
| Alabama | #441 | 5 | 1 in 5,056 |
| Georgia | #455 | 9 | 1 in 4,910 |
| North Carolina | #491 | 7 | 1 in 5,841 |
| Indiana | #494 | 5 | 1 in 7,391 |
| Michigan | #615 | 6 | 1 in 10,636 |
| Texas | #633 | 19 | 1 in 7,701 |
| California | #658 | 23 | 1 in 9,926 |
| Florida | #726 | 7 | 1 in 10,917 |
| Illinois | #867 | 5 | 1 in 15,964 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| New York | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| 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 Carter
- 1 spot since 2024 (#46 → #45)
- 12 spots since 2020 (#33 → #45)
- 21 spots since 2015 (#24 → #45)
- Biggest jump: 276 spots in 1903 (#687 → #411)
- Biggest drop: 261 spots in 1978 (#773 → #1,034)
- Debuted 1881
- Peaked 2015 at #24 (10,814 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 22 yrs · run 2004–2025
- Top 1,000: 142 yrs · run 1883–1977
- Highest: 1 in 177 boys born in 2015 were named Carter (0.56%)
- Latest: 1 in 284 boys born in 2025 (0.35%)
- 46.1% of all boys named Carter (95,261) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 100 | #470 (1886) | #528 |
| 1890s | 134 | #458 (1892) | #565 |
| 1900s | 199 | #402 (1900) | #533 |
| 1910s | 680 | #508 (1914) | #617 |
| 1920s | 881 | #603 (1924) | #686 |
| 1930s | 863 | #568 (1938) | #651 |
| 1940s | 1,340 | #495 (1949) | #549 |
| 1950s | 1,612 | #514 (1950) | #578 |
| 1960s | 1,345 | #620 (1963) | #661 |
| 1970s | 1,359 | #600 (1971) | #747 |
| 1980s | 1,680 | #565 (1989) | #735 |
| 1990s | 9,725 | #179 (1999) | #344 |
| 2000s | 52,320 | #50 (2009) | #91 |
| 2010s | 95,261 | #24 (2015) | #31 |
| 2020s | 39,334 | #33 (2020) | #43 |
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.
Carter in 1986
Top girls' names in 1986
Top boys' names in 1986
More about 1986
girls
1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 81,693 of them was named Carter, which outranked 69.7% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #3,757Vy22
- #3,757Willow22
- #3,757Yen22
- #3,890Carter21
- #3,890Adriann21
- #3,890Alan21
- #3,890Alanda21
- #4,028Aasha20
- #4,028Abril20
- #4,028Adena20
Tied with 137 names at #3,890; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 10,118 of them was named Carter, which outranked 91.5% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.