Carter is a distinctive girls' name in United States, ranking #507 in 2024 with 604 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2016 with 702 births ranking #458. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 815.2%. In 2024, approximately 1 in every 2,671 girls born was named Carter. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Carter is a crisp surname-style name meaning cart driver. It feels modern, practical, and strongly contemporary in girls' use.
The name rose first as a boys' surname name and later moved more visibly into girls' naming as unisex surname choices expanded. Its sound does most of the work in modern appeal.