Carter Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-ter //ˈkɑːrtər//
Origin: English; French
Meaning: English: 'one who transports goods'; French: 'a cart maker'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Carter has its roots in the Old French word "carretier," which is derived from the Latin "carretarius," meaning "one who transports goods by cart." This etymology reflects the occupation of a cart driver or carter, which was a significant role in medieval society, facilitating trade and transport. The name entered the English language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many Old French terms were adopted into English, particularly in relation to trades and professions.
Historically, the name Carter has been borne by various notable figures, particularly in England and America. In the 19th century, it became associated with several prominent individuals, including politicians and military leaders.
The name also appears in various historical texts and documents, reflecting its usage across different regions and eras. While there are no specific biblical references to the name, its occupational roots resonate with the broader tradition of names derived from trades, which were common in many cultures.
Culturally, the name Carter has been linked to themes of labor and service, embodying the values of hard work and community contribution. The name has also been associated with various symbols of transportation and movement, reflecting its origins in the profession of carting.
Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Cart" have emerged in informal contexts, though the name Carter itself has remained the primary form. Overall, the name carries a historical significance that reflects the social and economic structures of past societies.
Famous people named Carter
In this section, you will find notable people named Carter. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carter who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Carter who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Carter G. Woodson was a historian best known for founding Black History Month and his work The Mis-Education of the Negro.
Carter Beauford is a drummer best known for his work with the Dave Matthews Band.
Carter Bays is a television producer best known for co-creating How I Met Your Mother and the series Happy Endings.
Carter Jenkins is an actor best known for his roles in The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream, and the television series Famous in Love.
Carter Oosterhouse is a television personality and carpenter best known for his work on Trading Spaces and Carter Can.
Carter Hart is a professional ice hockey player best known for playing as a goaltender in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Carter Reum is an entrepreneur and author best known for co-founding the venture capital firm M13 and his book Shortcut Your Startup.
Fictional characters named Carter
The following list of fictional characters named Carter is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Carter is a fictional character from the video game series Mass Effect. He is a member of the Systems Alliance and serves as a soldier in the fight against the Reapers.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carter, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carter. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Carter was first seen in the United States in 1881.
Carter has ranked as high as #33 nationally, which occurred in 2015, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
In the past 5 years the name Carter has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Carter is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carter was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Carter (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 579 | |
| CA | 416 | |
| FL | 385 | |
| NY | 308 | |
| PA | 302 | |
| OH | 296 | |
| NC | 262 | |
| MI | 233 | |
| GA | 191 | |
| TN | 187 | |
| IN | 178 | |
| VA | 176 | |
| MO | 173 | |
| IL | 162 | |
| AL | 136 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carter.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 6,267 |
| 2023 | 5,870 |
| 2022 | 6,356 |
| 2021 | 7,202 |
| 2020 | 7,575 |
| 2019 | 8,682 |
| 2018 | 9,382 |
| 2017 | 9,831 |
| 2016 | 10,218 |
| 2015 | 10,814 |
| 2014 | 10,690 |
| 2013 | 9,589 |
| 2012 | 9,272 |
| 2011 | 8,608 |
| 2010 | 8,164 |
| 2009 | 8,173 |
| 2008 | 7,069 |
| 2007 | 6,101 |
| 2006 | 6,433 |
| 2005 | 5,899 |
| 2004 | 5,009 |
| 2003 | 4,171 |
| 2002 | 3,480 |
| 2001 | 3,435 |
| 2000 | 2,550 |
| 1999 | 1,944 |
| 1998 | 1,800 |
| 1997 | 1,540 |
| 1996 | 1,216 |
| 1995 | 919 |
| 1994 | 544 |
| 1993 | 550 |
| 1992 | 487 |
| 1991 | 391 |
| 1990 | 334 |
| 1989 | 294 |
| 1988 | 265 |
| 1987 | 213 |
| 1986 | 182 |
| 1985 | 177 |
| 1984 | 137 |
| 1983 | 117 |
| 1982 | 119 |
| 1981 | 86 |
| 1980 | 93 |
| 1979 | 65 |
| 1978 | 71 |
| 1977 | 121 |
| 1976 | 158 |
| 1975 | 162 |
| 1974 | 142 |
| 1973 | 131 |
| 1972 | 163 |
| 1971 | 191 |
| 1970 | 156 |
| 1969 | 150 |
| 1968 | 124 |
| 1967 | 140 |
| 1966 | 127 |
| 1965 | 113 |
| 1964 | 132 |
| 1963 | 158 |
| 1962 | 130 |
| 1961 | 132 |
| 1960 | 139 |
| 1959 | 132 |
| 1958 | 165 |
| 1957 | 140 |
| 1956 | 176 |
| 1955 | 149 |
| 1954 | 191 |
| 1953 | 161 |
| 1952 | 156 |
| 1951 | 172 |
| 1950 | 170 |
| 1949 | 178 |
| 1948 | 150 |
| 1947 | 178 |
| 1946 | 149 |
| 1945 | 124 |
| 1944 | 122 |
| 1943 | 130 |
| 1942 | 112 |
| 1941 | 109 |
| 1940 | 88 |
| 1939 | 77 |
| 1938 | 106 |
| 1937 | 99 |
| 1936 | 98 |
| 1935 | 101 |
| 1934 | 97 |
| 1933 | 77 |
| 1932 | 68 |
| 1931 | 78 |
| 1930 | 62 |
| 1929 | 71 |
| 1928 | 78 |
| 1927 | 85 |
| 1926 | 89 |
| 1925 | 89 |
| 1924 | 112 |
| 1923 | 83 |
| 1922 | 93 |
| 1921 | 83 |
| 1920 | 98 |
| 1919 | 107 |
| 1918 | 95 |
| 1917 | 91 |
| 1916 | 83 |
| 1915 | 78 |
| 1914 | 92 |
| 1913 | 37 |
| 1912 | 45 |
| 1911 | 26 |
| 1910 | 26 |
| 1909 | 22 |
| 1908 | 25 |
| 1907 | 18 |
| 1906 | 15 |
| 1905 | 16 |
| 1904 | 25 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1901 | 13 |
| 1900 | 31 |
| 1899 | 14 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 16 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1895 | 9 |
| 1894 | 16 |
| 1893 | 13 |
| 1892 | 18 |
| 1891 | 13 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1887 | 13 |
| 1886 | 15 |
| 1885 | 10 |
| 1884 | 13 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1881 | 12 |