Boy name · English
Carter
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: cart driverCarter is a boy's name that comes from English and means "cart driver". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Cart driver
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #45 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Carter
As a boy's name, Carter comes from English and means "cart driver". It is used in English.
Carter is also a surname: the 50th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 364,355 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Carter on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Carter on 1 list.
“Cart driver; English. Strong trade surname”
From Boy middle names, surname middle names for boys
How popular is Carter?
- US rank in 2025
- #45
- 6,024 babies, 3,527 per million boys
- Best rank
- #24 in 2015
- 10,814 babies that year
- Babies since 1881
- At least 206,833
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 91 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 117 per million |
| 1900s | 147 per million |
| 1910s | 102 per million |
| 1920s | 80 per million |
| 1930s | 82 per million |
| 1940s | 90 per million |
| 1950s | 80 per million |
| 1960s | 70 per million |
| 1970s | 82 per million |
| 1980s | 91 per million |
| 1990s | 499 per million |
| 2000s | 2,621 per million |
| 2010s | 5,066 per million |
| 2020s | 3,796 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #26 | #24 | #24 | #30 | #33 | #39 | #47 | #48 | #46 | #45 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Carter
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ColterFrom a surname for a keeper of horses (English, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Carter
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from English
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- ScottFrom Scotland (English, boy)
- AceFrom the English word ace, highest rank (English, boy)
- AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
- AndersonSon of Andrew (English, boy)
- ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)
- AyrtonSettlement on the River Aire (English, boy)
- BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
- BensonFrom a surname meaning son of Benedict (English, boy)
- BrysonFrom a surname meaning son of Brice (English, boy)
- CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
- ChaseHunter (English, boy)
- CooperBarrel maker (English, boy)
- CrewFrom the English word crew, a group of people (English, boy)
- DawsonSon of David (English, boy)
- EllisonSon of Ellis (English, unisex)
Carter: common questions
What does the name Carter mean?
Carter comes from English and means "cart driver".
Is Carter a boy or girl name?
Carter is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 679 girls and 6,024 boys in the US were named Carter, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Carter come from?
Carter comes from English and means "cart driver". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Carter?
Carter ranked #45 in the US in 2025, with 6,024 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Carter?
Names spelled like Carter include Colter.
What middle names go with Carter?
Middle names that flow well with Carter include Abel, Ford, Grant, Heath and Knox. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.