Total births
48,890
Boys' name · since 1880
Carlton
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 48,890 babies named Carlton, peaking in 1957. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2791
- among boys today
- 48,890
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
48,890 babies have been named Carlton since 1880, making it today's #2791 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Carlton recorded 48,890 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #2791 nationally today, ahead of 80% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2791 among boys today
- 48,890 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Carlton is currently the #2791 boys' name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 48,890 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2791
- among boys today
- 48,890
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Carlton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2791
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Carlton was born in this single decade.
1957
Single peak year
955 babies were named Carlton in 1957 - its busiest year on record.
How Carlton compares
48,890 Top 4% higher than 96% 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
Carlton's all-time total is 133x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carlton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 48,890 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 955 | 23 | 22,252 |
Carlton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Carlton splits its recorded history at 1953: 58% of all births land in the more recent half, 42% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1880 (13 births) -- compare that against the 1957 peak of 955 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Carlton at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1957
Current rank
#2,791
Active since
1880
Carlton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 955
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Carlton popularity over time - girls
277 total births recorded since 1920 (Carlton as girls' name)
Carlton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Carlton's strongest decade.
7,920 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Carlton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 190
1880s
190 births
- 1890s 259
1890s
259 births
- 1900s 451
1900s
451 births
- 1910s 2,840
1910s
2,840 births
- 1920s
1920s
4,714 births
- 1930s
1930s
5,021 births
- 1940s
1940s
5,361 births
- 1950s
1950s
7,920 births
- 1960s
1960s
6,985 births
- 1970s
1970s
4,833 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,993 births
- 1990s
1990s
3,538 births
- 2000s 1,610
2000s
1,610 births
- 2010s 885
2010s
885 births
- 2020s 290
2020s
290 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 7,920 births (16% of all-time use).
How Carlton 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 Carlton's total volume
Carlton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Carlton by state
Where Carlton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 4,148 | 8.5% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 3,976 | 8.1% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 3,649 | 7.5% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 3,469 | 7.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 3,217 | 6.6% |
| #6 | Florida | | 2,698 | 5.5% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 1,690 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Alabama | | 1,667 | 3.4% |
New York share of Carlton's total US births 8.5%
Even split
4,148 of 48,890 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 44 reporting states.
Carlton appears in 44 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Carlton? ▼
48,890 babies have been named Carlton since 1880. It currently ranks #2791 among boys. The peak year was 1957 with 955 births.
When was Carlton most popular? ▼
Carlton was most popular in the 1950s decade with 7,920 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Carlton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Carlton are New York (4,148 births), Georgia (3,976 births), North Carolina (3,649 births).
How long has the name Carlton been used? ▼
Records for Carlton go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Carlton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Carl, Carlos, Carter, Carson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Carlton's data
- Carlton's decade-level peak was the 1950s (7,920 total births); usage has since declined to 290 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Carltons (4,148 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Carlton
Nearby Names Like Carlton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlton
Carl Boy
#1031 504,827 births
Carlos Boy
#135 307,036 births
Carter Boy
#46 206,833 births
Carson Boy
#124 132,774 births
Carroll Boy
35,431 births
Compare Carlton side by side: Carlton vs Carl Carlton vs Carlos Carlton vs Carter
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carlton
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. "Carlton: #2791 Boys' Name - 48,890 Births, Peak 1957." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/carlton. 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 Carlton 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.