Total births
307,036
Boys' name · since 1880
Carlos
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 307,036 babies named Carlos, peaking in 2001. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #135
- among boys today
- 307,036
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.1%
- more common than other boys
307,036 babies have been named Carlos since 1880, making it today's #135 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Carlos recorded 307,036 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #135 nationally today, ahead of 99.1% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #135 among boys today
- 307,036 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 99.1% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Carlos is currently the #135 boys' name in America, more common than 99.1% of boys - 307,036 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #135
- among boys today
- 307,036
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.1%
- more common than other boys
Carlos vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#135
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.1% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Carlos was born in this single decade.
2001
Single peak year
6,842 babies were named Carlos in 2001 - its busiest year on record.
How Carlos compares
307,036 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Carlos's all-time total is 837x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carlos | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 307,036 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 6,842 | 23 | 22,252 |
Carlos's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Carlos's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 92% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 8%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 13 births recorded -- set against the 2001 peak of 6,842, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Carlos at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2001
Current rank
#135
Active since
1880
Carlos popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2001)
- 6,842
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Carlos popularity over time - girls
2,040 total births recorded since 1913 (Carlos as girls' name)
Carlos by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Carlos's strongest decade.
63,199 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Carlos births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 209
1880s
209 births
- 1890s 252
1890s
252 births
- 1900s 489
1900s
489 births
- 1910s 2,110
1910s
2,110 births
- 1920s 4,785
1920s
4,785 births
- 1930s 5,553
1930s
5,553 births
- 1940s 8,100
1940s
8,100 births
- 1950s 15,821
1950s
15,821 births
- 1960s 22,396
1960s
22,396 births
- 1970s
1970s
36,949 births
- 1980s
1980s
41,506 births
- 1990s
1990s
55,185 births
- 2000s
2000s
63,199 births
- 2010s
2010s
35,301 births
- 2020s 15,181
2020s
15,181 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 63,199 births (21% of all-time use).
How Carlos compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Carlos's total volume
Carlos vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Carlos by state
Where Carlos concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 77,725 | 25.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 60,608 | 19.7% |
| #3 | New York | | 25,532 | 8.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 15,765 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 12,969 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 11,697 | 3.8% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 8,021 | 2.6% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 6,515 | 2.1% |
California share of Carlos's total US births 25.3%
Even split
77,725 of 307,036 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Carlos appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Carlos? ▼
Carlos has been given to 307,036 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #135 as of the latest data. 6,842 babies were born in 2001, its single highest year.
When was Carlos most popular? ▼
Carlos was most popular in the 2000s decade with 63,199 total births. The single peak year was 2001.
Where is Carlos most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Carlos are California (77,725 births), Texas (60,608 births), New York (25,532 births).
How long has the name Carlos been used? ▼
Carlos has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Carlos? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Carl, Carter, Carson, Carlton, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Carlos's data
- Carlos's decade-level peak was the 2000s (63,199 total births); usage has since declined to 15,181 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Carloss (77,725 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carlos
Nearby Names Like Carlos
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlos
Carl Boy
#1031 504,827 births
Carter Boy
#46 206,833 births
Carson Boy
#124 132,774 births
Carlton Boy
#2791 48,890 births
Carroll Boy
35,431 births
Compare Carlos side by side: Carlos vs Carl Carlos vs Carter Carlos vs Carson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carlos
Ryder #134
66,639 births · Peak 2015
Connor #136
234,546 births · Peak 2004
Jasper #133
62,428 births · Peak 2023
Juan #137
365,606 births · Peak 2005
Declan #132
58,547 births · Peak 2019
Matteo #138
33,483 births · Peak 2024
Sawyer #131
65,838 births · Peak 2015
Dawson #139
52,802 births · Peak 1999
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Carlos: #135 Boys' Name - 307,036 Births, Peak 2001." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/carlos. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Carlos draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.