Is Carter a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Carter is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Carter?

It’s currently ranked #45 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Carter?

KAR-ter · IPA: //ˈkɑːrtər//

Carter Unisex

Popularity: #45 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationKAR-ter / /ˈkɑːrtər/

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 means 'one who transports goods by cart'. It became a surname in England before transitioning into a given name. The name has been popular in various English-speaking countries and has seen a rise in usage as a first name in recent decades.

Trend Summary

Carter has experienced a steady increase in popularity in the United States, ranking among the top names for boys in recent years.

Variants

Karter

International Variants

Carter (English)
Karter (English)

Famous people named Carter

Carter G. Woodson was an American historian and author, known as the 'Father of Black History'.

Carter Beauford is an American drummer, best known for his work with the Dave Matthews Band.

Carter Bays is an American television producer and writer, co-creator of the sitcom 'How I Met Your Mother'.

Fictional characters named Carter

Carter Pewterschmidt is a character in the animated television series 'Family Guy', known as the wealthy father of Angela.

Carter Hall, also known as Hawkman, is a superhero in DC Comics, known for his ability to reincarnate and his connection to ancient Egypt.

Sibling Suggestions

Hunter Parker Mason Tyler Logan Grayson

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)

Top States for Carter (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	579	10%
CA	416	7%
FL	385	6%
NY	308	5%
PA	302	5%
OH	296	5%
NC	262	4%
MI	233	4%
GA	191	3%
TN	187	3%
IN	178	3%
VA	176	3%
MO	173	3%
IL	162	3%
AL	136	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1881	12
1883	11
1884	13
1885	10
1886	15
1887	13
1888	15
1889	11
1890	8
1891	13
1892	18
1893	13
1894	16
1895	9
1896	13
1897	16
1898	14
1899	14
1900	31
1901	13
1902	11
1903	23
1904	25
1905	16
1906	15
1907	18
1908	25
1909	22
1910	26
1911	26
1912	45
1913	37
1914	92
1915	78
1916	83
1917	91
1918	95
1919	107
1920	98
1921	83
1922	93
1923	83
1924	112
1925	89
1926	89
1927	85
1928	78
1929	71
1930	62
1931	78
1932	68
1933	77
1934	97
1935	101
1936	98
1937	99
1938	106
1939	77
1940	88
1941	109
1942	112
1943	130
1944	122
1945	124
1946	149
1947	178
1948	150
1949	178
1950	170
1951	172
1952	156
1953	161
1954	191
1955	149
1956	176
1957	140
1958	165
1959	132
1960	139
1961	132
1962	130
1963	158
1964	132
1965	113
1966	127
1967	140
1968	124
1969	150
1970	156
1971	191
1972	163
1973	131
1974	142
1975	162
1976	158
1977	121
1978	71
1979	65
1980	93
1981	86
1982	119
1983	117
1984	137
1985	177
1986	182
1987	213
1988	265
1989	294
1990	334
1991	391
1992	487
1993	550
1994	544
1995	919
1996	1,216
1997	1,540
1998	1,800
1999	1,944
2000	2,550
2001	3,435
2002	3,480
2003	4,171
2004	5,009
2005	5,899
2006	6,433
2007	6,101
2008	7,069
2009	8,173
2010	8,164
2011	8,608
2012	9,272
2013	9,589
2014	10,690
2015	10,814
2016	10,218
2017	9,831
2018	9,382
2019	8,682
2020	7,575
2021	7,202
2022	6,356
2023	5,870
2024	6,267