Colter is a moderately popular boys' name in United States, ranking #430 in 2022 with 720 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2025 with 2,354 births ranking #157. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 682.6%. In 2022, approximately 1 in every 2,423 boys born was named Colter. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Colter is a surname-style name closely related in feel to Colt, though its background is usually surname-based rather than a direct word-name use. It has a strong, outdoorsy modern style.
The name rose in the United States through the same taste that made names like Carter, Cooper, and Colton successful. Frontier and rugged-surname associations are a big part of its image.