Carson is of Scottish origin, derived from the surname Mac Carra, which means "son of Cara." The name gained prominence due to its association with notable figures like former U.S. Senator John McCain, whose middle name was Carson. It has also been used in popular culture, such as in the television series "Carson on CBC," a Canadian comedy-drama. In terms of popularity, Carson peaked in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s but has since declined slightly.
The name Carson has seen a significant increase in popularity over time, with a notable jump starting around the late 1800s. The first decade of data (1880-1890) shows a fluctuating number of births, ranging from a low of 5 to a high of 22. However, by the early 1900s, there's a steady rise in popularity, with over 40 Carson births annually recorded between 1903 and 1908.
The most significant growth occurs post-World War II, with an exponential increase in Carson births starting from the late 1940s. By the mid-1970s, there are consistently over 100 Carson births each year. The peak of popularity for the name Carson is reached between the late 1980s and early 2000s, with a high of 3942 births recorded in 2001.
However, since then, the popularity of the name Carson has declined somewhat. After peaking at over 5000 births per year in the mid-2000s, the number of Carson births has dropped to around 3000-4000 annually as of 2022. Despite this recent decline, Carson remains a popular name, with a total of 126941 births recorded over the course of these statistics (1880-2023).