Boys' name · since 1920
Carlson
Since 1920, U.S. Social Security records show 747 babies named Carlson, peaking in 2016. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,166 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,167 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 747
- born since 1920
- 2010s
- peak decade
Carlson currently ranks #12167 among boys' names in America, with 747 babies recorded since 1920.
Social Security Administration records show Carlson recorded 747 times among boys since 1920, holding rank #12167 nationally today, ahead of 13% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1920 to 2025.
- #6,166 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #12,167 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 747 born since 1920
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Carlson ranks #6,166 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #12,167 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 747 born since 1920, peaking in the 2010s.
- #6,166 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,167 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 747
- born since 1920
- 2010s
- peak decade
Carlson's 747 recorded births place it above 86.43% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Carlson compares
747 Top 36% higher than 64% of 13,930 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
Carlson's all-time total is 102% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carlson | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 747 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 34 | 22,252 |
Carlson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Carlson's SSA record in two at 1984 and the more recent half accounts for 58% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 42%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1926, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2016 peak of 19, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Carlson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1920–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 106 years of records
Carlson by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (133 births, 18% of the file).
2010s was Carlson's strongest decade.
133 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Carlson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 41
1920s
41 births
- 1930s 23
1930s
23 births
- 1940s
1940s
64 births
- 1950s
1950s
72 births
- 1960s 53
1960s
53 births
- 1970s 47
1970s
47 births
- 1980s
1980s
54 births
- 1990s
1990s
92 births
- 2000s
2000s
117 births
- 2010s
2010s
133 births
- 2020s 51
2020s
51 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 133 births (18% of all-time use).
How Carlson 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 Carlson's total volume
Carlson by state
Where Carlson concentrates geographically, total births since 1920
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 5 | 0.7% |
5 of 747 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Carlson's data
- Carlson's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (133 total births) through the 2020s (51) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Carlsons (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carlson
Nearby Names Like Carlson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlson
Compare Carlson side by side: Carlson vs Carl Carlson vs Carlos Carlson vs Carter
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carlson
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Carlson: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2016)
Similar record span (~105 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1920–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Carlson 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 August 2026.