Carter
Meaningcart driver · English
- US rank
- #45
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #24 in 2018
6,024 babies were named Carter in the US in 2025. It has dropped 12 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1918–2025
US births per million boys, 1881–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Carter you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Carter
Carter Burwell
American film composer (born 1954)
Choose Carter and your child shares a first name with Carter Burwell, an American film composer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Carter, like who?” Carter Burwell's Wikipedia article is available in 30 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Carter Burwell on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 284 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Carter, 6,024 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Carter.
- HistoryCarter first shows up in US birth records in 1881, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 144 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2018, when it reached #24.
- Then vs nowCarter is 2.7× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 770 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 284.
- Where it's lovedCarter is most popular in Wyoming, where it ranks #7, followed by West Virginia (#15) and Delaware (#16). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- Boy or girlCarter is given to both boys and girls: 90% of the 6,703 babies named Carter in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn English, Carter means “cart driver”.
About the name Carter
Carter is a gender-neutral name of English origin meaning “cart driver”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-ter”. US birth records list Carter for boys from 1881 to 2025, in 144 of those 145 years. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked #24 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #45, with 6,024 babies. Of the 6,703 US babies named Carter in 2025, 10% were girls and 90% were boys.
Origin:English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2.1 | 465,116 girls |
| 1920s | 1.7 | 602,410 girls |
| 1930s | 1.2 | 826,446 girls |
| 1940s | 2.7 | 367,647 girls |
| 1950s | 3.4 | 297,619 girls |
| 1960s | 2.5 | 406,504 girls |
| 1970s | 6.4 | 155,763 girls |
| 1980s | 9.5 | 105,597 girls |
| 1990s | 29 | 34,165 girls |
| 2000s | 55 | 18,146 girls |
| 2010s | 253 | 3,952 girls |
| 2020s | 374 | 2,672 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 102 | 9,806 boys |
| 1890s | 118 | 8,509 boys |
| 1900s | 146 | 6,858 boys |
| 1910s | 105 | 9,498 boys |
| 1920s | 80 | 12,511 boys |
| 1930s | 82 | 12,229 boys |
| 1940s | 89 | 11,196 boys |
| 1950s | 80 | 12,470 boys |
| 1960s | 70 | 14,255 boys |
| 1970s | 83 | 12,115 boys |
| 1980s | 90 | 11,121 boys |
| 1990s | 506 | 1,977 boys |
| 2000s | 2,610 | 383 boys |
| 2010s | 5,066 | 197 boys |
| 2020s | 3,794 | 264 boys |
Other spellings of Carter
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Carter
What does the name Carter mean?
Carter means “cart driver” in English.
What is the origin of the name Carter?
Carter has English roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Carter a boy or girl name?
Both. Carter is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 10% of US babies named Carter were girls.
How popular is the name Carter?
Carter ranked #45 for US boys in 2025, given to 6,024 babies. Its best year was 2018 (#24).