Carter is a unisex given name of English origin, derived from the surname which has its roots in medieval England. The surname Carter was an occupational name for a transporter or carrier of goods, coming from the Middle English word "carte", meaning cart.
The name Carter has been used as a given name since the 19th century, but it gained popularity in the mid-20th century and became particularly fashionable in the United States during the 1990s. Today, Carter is considered a modern classic and continues to be popular among parents looking for strong, distinctive names.
Historically, there are no significant figures or events associated with the name Carter that have contributed to its fame or popularity. However, notable people named Carter include former US President Jimmy Carter, actor Ellar Coltrane who played Mason in the film Boyhood, and American musician and fashion designer Carter Burwell.
Overall, Carter is a robust and stylish name choice that has an appealing simplicity and a strong, masculine sound. Its meaning as a carrier of goods or transporter gives it an energetic and dynamic connotation that might appeal to parents looking for names with positive associations.
The name Carter has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past century, according to the statistics of births in the United States. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the number of babies named Carter remained relatively low, with an average of around 15 births per year between 1881 and 1930.
However, starting in the 1940s, there was a notable rise in the popularity of the name Carter. Between 1943 and 1977, the number of annual births with the name Carter increased from 122 to 71, indicating a growing trend towards this moniker.
The 1980s marked a significant turning point for the name Carter, as it began to gain widespread popularity. Between 1980 and 1989, the number of annual births with the name Carter jumped from 93 to 334, demonstrating a dramatic increase in its usage.
This trend continued into the 1990s, with the number of babies named Carter reaching an all-time high of 919 births in 1995. The popularity of the name Carter peaked again in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with over 10,000 births each year between 2004 and 2016.
While the popularity of the name Carter has seen some fluctuations in recent years, it remains a popular choice among parents in the United States. In 2022, there were 5847 babies named Carter, marking a continued presence of this name on the popularity charts.
In conclusion, the name Carter has undergone a remarkable transformation in its usage over the past century. From a relatively obscure moniker in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it has evolved into one of the most popular names for boys in recent decades, with thousands of babies named Carter each year. This shift in popularity highlights the changing tastes and trends among parents when it comes to naming their children.