Karter

Karter - A very unique female name

Karter appeared on the charts for the first time in 2008 on position #5535. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Karter and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Karter? 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 Karter. The baby girl name Karter was given to 205 baby girls in 2025, ranking #994 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,358 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Karter peaked in popularity 11 years ago in 2015 on position 699.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Karter, 1-5?

Karter is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Karter is currently topping the baby name charts in South Dakota at position #253 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,446.

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 Karter is where you live.

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Karter origin and meaning

English occupational surname, respelled

A K-spelling of Carter, the occupational surname for a maker or driver of carts, from Middle English cartere

Karter is Carter — the old trade surname — with a K, part of the 2000s wave of K-respellings. As a girls' name it dates from 2008, peaking in 2016 as unisex surname names crossed over. Spoken, it is identical to Carter in every way; the K exists only on paper, where it was meant to look fresher and, for a daughter, less boyish.

Attested etymology

Karter is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Karter

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

Kharter / Kartier /

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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 Karter

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 Karter 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Karter?

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

KAR-ter · /ˈkɑːrtər/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Carter — The standard spelling — a separate, much more common name used for both sexes

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2008, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

SurnameOccupationalModern coinage

Why parents choose it

Parents get the tailored, surname style of Carter with a spelling they feel reads more feminine and modern.

Worth knowing

• Everyone will write Carter first — and on a girl, many will still assume a boy from the name alone.