Carson
Carson was the 124th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,883 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 70th with 5,259 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 35 places. More babies were named Carson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Scottish
Say it KAR-suhn /ˈkɑrsən/
- Rank in 2025
- #124 boys, down 40 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,883boys
- Girls and boys
- 5% girls, 95% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20185,259 babies
- Total since 1880
- 140,887babies recorded
What does the name Carson mean?
Carson is a Scottish surname whose origin is not known. Wikipedia describes its meaning as unknown; Wiktionary offers a tentative link to a Gaelic word carr, 'rock' or 'fort', plus -son, and also notes it may be a form of the Norman surname Curzon. Neither is established. As a first name it is a transferred surname, used in the US mostly for boys, and occasionally for girls.
How sure is this? Uncertain. Origin unknown; a Gaelic 'rock/fort' element and a link to Curzon are suggestions only.
Related names: Karson, Carsen.
See also: Scottish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Carson', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Carson (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Carson popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,174 | #124 | 197 | 2,883 |
| 2020 | #1,159 | #84 | 202 | 4,196 |
| 2010 | #1,264 | #82 | 189 | 5,098 |
| 2000 | #655 | #119 | 377 | 3,239 |
| 1990 | #1,991 | #456 | 68 | 471 |
| 1980 | #4,016 | #697 | 19 | 156 |
| 1970 | — | #798 | — | 104 |
| 1960 | — | #805 | — | 90 |
| 1950 | #4,372 | #626 | 7 | 120 |
| 1940 | — | #577 | — | 106 |
| 1930 | — | #584 | — | 105 |
| 1920 | — | #632 | — | 99 |
| 1910 | — | #582 | — | 24 |
| 1900 | — | #628 | — | 16 |
| 1890 | — | #756 | — | 8 |
| 1880 | — | #644 | — | 9 |
How popular is Carson, counting every spelling?
Carson is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #100 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #124 for Carson on its own. Together these spellings went to 3,726 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson | 2,883 | #124 | 16,179 |
| Karson | 690 | #453 | 4,574 |
| Karsen | 81 | #1,928 | 533 |
| Carsen | 65 | #2,185 | 473 |
| Karsin | 7 | #10,188 | 52 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Carson?
2,883 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Carson (0.80 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Carson born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 3 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Carson.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Carson?
About 126,800 people born in the US named Carson are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 9 and 22. That makes Carson mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Carson by state
How common Carson was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in West Virginia (3.1×), Maine (2.5×), Kentucky (2.3×), New Hampshire (2.3×), Vermont (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in California, New Jersey, Texas.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Carson: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Carson, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Carson · Sibling names for Carson
Questions about the name Carson
What does Carson mean?
The origin of Carson is uncertain: Origin unknown; a Gaelic 'rock/fort' element and a link to Curzon are suggestions only.
How popular is the name Carson?
Carson was the 124th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,883 babies. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked 70th with 5,259 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 35 places. More babies were named Carson in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Carson a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 5% girls, 95% boys given the name Carson in the US.
Where is Carson most popular?
In 2021–2025, Carson was most common in West Virginia (5.88 per 1,000 boys), followed by Maine and Kentucky.