Carleton
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Carleton since 1880 — 4,839 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carleton
Carleton is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 4,839 American babies have been named Carleton. Its peak came in 1923, when 103 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carleton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carleton year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6 | #11,059 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | 5 | #12,601 |
| 2016 | 6 | #10,966 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | 5 | #12,588 |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 12 | #6,870 |
| 2008 | 6 | #11,285 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | 17 | #5,105 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8,410 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9,085 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,802 |
| 2002 | 16 | #4,733 |
| 2001 | 12 | #5,724 |
| 2000 | 11 | #5,971 |
| 1995 | 14 | #4,309 |
| 1990 | 28 | #2,442 |
| 1985 | 26 | #2,125 |
| 1980 | 27 | #2,009 |
| 1975 | 30 | #1,665 |
| 1970 | 45 | #1,238 |
| 1965 | 42 | #1,166 |
| 1960 | 50 | #1,101 |
| 1955 | 71 | #874 |
| 1950 | 64 | #852 |
| 1945 | 56 | #838 |
| 1940 | 61 | #794 |
| 1935 | 66 | #758 |
| 1930 | 65 | #804 |
| 1925 | 80 | #723 |
| 1920 | 75 | #763 |
| 1915 | 93 | #592 |
| 1910 | 13 | #876 |
| 1905 | 14 | #638 |
| 1900 | 12 | #751 |
| 1895 | 10 | #697 |
| 1890 | 7 | #819 |
| 1885 | 9 | #653 |
| 1880 | 8 | #690 |
Famous people named Carleton
- Carleton S. Coon Anthropologist · 1904–1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carleton mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Carleton in 2025?
Carleton did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Carleton?
4,839 babies have been named Carleton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carleton most popular?
Carleton peaked in 1923, when 103 newborns received the name.
Is Carleton a boy or girl name?
Carleton is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Carleton rising or falling?
Carleton is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Carleton?
Well-known people named Carleton include Carleton S. Coon (anthropologist).