Carlton

Carlton - A very unique male name

Carlton appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #274. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Carlton and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Carlton? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Carlton. The baby boy name Carlton was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3888 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Carlton peaked in popularity 89 years ago in 1937 on position 214.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Carlton, 1-5?

Carlton is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Carlton is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #1,385 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #1,385.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Carlton is where you live.

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Carlton origin and meaning

English — surname and place name

From Old English place names meaning 'farmstead of the free peasants', from ceorl, 'free man', and tun, 'farm, settlement'

Carlton began as an English place and surname name and peaked as a given name in 1957. It has fallen from #2214 in 2020 to #3888 in 2025, though fiction gave it a famous 1990s bearer in Carlton Banks.

Attested etymology

Carlton is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Carlton, pop culture references for the name Carlton and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Carlton

We've found the following names that sound similar to Carlton, sorted by popularity.

Carleton / Charlton / Carlito / Carlitos / Cirildo / Charlotte /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Carlton

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Carlton a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Carlton?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KARL-ton · /ˈkɑːrltən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Carleton — A spelling variant of the same surname name.

Nicknames: Carl

Famous bearers

• Carlton Fisk — Hall of Fame baseball catcher with the Red Sox and White Sox (b. 1947) Contemporary
• Carlton Banks — Alfonso Ribeiro's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, famous for the 'Carlton dance' (Fictional, 1990) Fictional

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Carlton sounds formal and preppy, with a 1990s television echo that makes it recognisable despite its rarity now.

Worth knowing

• For a generation, the name summons Carlton Banks and his dance before anything else.
• Falling steadily and reads as a surname or a grandfather's name to many.