Carter
KAR-ter /ˈkɑːr.tər/
Meaning of Carter
Carter is an occupational surname for someone who drove a cart — from Old English cræt or Old French carettier. Like Mason, Logan and Cooper, it is part of a wave of occupational-surname boys' names that became fashionable in the US from the 1990s onward. Presidential association (Jimmy Carter, 39th US President) kept it in name-culture awareness.
Current popularity of Carter
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #44 |
Notable bearers of Carter
Jimmy Carter (39th US President, 1924–2024); Carter Beauford (musician).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Carter — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31