Carson
Could originate from the Gaelic name "Carr" or "Carra", meaning "rock" or "fort," combined with "son", thus "son of Carr.".
Every Carson since 1880 — 140,887 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carson
Carson is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #124 in 2025 with 2,883 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 140,887 American babies have been named Carson — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2018, when 5,466 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Carson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carson year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 197 | #1,174 | 2,883 | #124 |
| 2024 | 173 | #1,328 | 2,901 | #124 |
| 2023 | 188 | #1,239 | 3,210 | #112 |
| 2022 | 170 | #1,368 | 3,408 | #110 |
| 2021 | 172 | #1,312 | 3,777 | #97 |
| 2020 | 202 | #1,159 | 4,196 | #84 |
| 2019 | 166 | #1,360 | 4,522 | #82 |
| 2018 | 207 | #1,163 | 5,259 | #70 |
| 2017 | 193 | #1,237 | 4,766 | #83 |
| 2016 | 186 | #1,291 | 4,931 | #81 |
| 2015 | 178 | #1,330 | 4,761 | #89 |
| 2014 | 173 | #1,352 | 4,625 | #91 |
| 2013 | 152 | #1,468 | 4,540 | #90 |
| 2012 | 153 | #1,478 | 4,597 | #87 |
| 2011 | 179 | #1,316 | 4,927 | #85 |
| 2010 | 189 | #1,264 | 5,098 | #82 |
| 2009 | 188 | #1,288 | 4,997 | #88 |
| 2008 | 202 | #1,243 | 5,127 | #89 |
| 2007 | 200 | #1,241 | 5,120 | #91 |
| 2006 | 212 | #1,152 | 5,012 | #87 |
| 2005 | 214 | #1,105 | 4,354 | #101 |
| 2004 | 236 | #997 | 4,379 | #101 |
| 2003 | 280 | #862 | 4,861 | #89 |
| 2002 | 293 | #800 | 3,600 | #105 |
| 2001 | 352 | #705 | 3,943 | #95 |
| 2000 | 377 | #655 | 3,239 | #119 |
| 1995 | 204 | #925 | 893 | #297 |
| 1990 | 68 | #1,991 | 471 | #456 |
| 1985 | 24 | #3,527 | 256 | #548 |
| 1980 | 19 | #4,016 | 156 | #697 |
| 1975 | 20 | #3,413 | 123 | #750 |
| 1970 | — | — | 104 | #798 |
| 1965 | — | — | 89 | #786 |
| 1960 | — | — | 90 | #805 |
| 1955 | — | — | 126 | #654 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,372 | 120 | #626 |
| 1945 | — | — | 98 | #611 |
| 1940 | — | — | 106 | #577 |
| 1935 | — | — | 84 | #648 |
| 1930 | — | — | 105 | #584 |
| 1925 | — | — | 103 | #617 |
| 1920 | — | — | 99 | #632 |
| 1915 | — | — | 95 | #583 |
| 1910 | — | — | 24 | #582 |
| 1905 | — | — | 12 | #705 |
| 1900 | — | — | 16 | #628 |
| 1895 | — | — | 10 | #699 |
| 1890 | — | — | 8 | #756 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #654 |
| 1880 | — | — | 9 | #644 |
Famous people named Carson
- Carson McCullers Writer · 1917–1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carson mean?
Could originate from the Gaelic name "Carr" or "Carra", meaning "rock" or "fort," combined with "son", thus "son of Carr.".
How popular is the name Carson in 2025?
Carson ranked #124 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,883 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carson?
140,887 babies have been named Carson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carson most popular?
Carson peaked in 2018, when 5,466 newborns received the name.
Is Carson a boy or girl name?
Carson is used for both: about 6% of babies named Carson have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Carson rising or falling?
Carson is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Carson?
Well-known people named Carson include Carson McCullers (writer).