Total births
21,394
Unisex name · since 1966
Karson
Karson has 21,394 recorded births since 1966 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2018 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #397
- among boys today
- 21,394
- born since 1966
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Karson is the #397 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 21,394 recorded since 1966.
Social Security Administration records show Karson recorded 21,394 times among boys since 1966, holding rank #397 nationally today, ahead of 97% 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 1966 to 2025.
- #397 among boys today
- 21,394 born since 1966
- 2010s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Karson is currently the #397 unisex name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 21,394 born since 1966, peaking in the 2010s.
- #397
- among boys today
- 21,394
- born since 1966
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Karson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#397
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Karson was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
1,345 babies were named Karson in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Karson compares
21,394 Top 6% higher than 94% 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
Karson's all-time total is 58x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Karson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 21,394 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,345 | 23 | 22,252 |
Karson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Karson splits its recorded history at 1999: 97% of all births land in the more recent half, 3% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1966 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2018 peak of 1,345 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Karson at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2018
Current rank
#397
Active since
1966
Karson popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1966–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 1,345
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Karson popularity over time - girls
2,106 total births recorded since 1980 (Karson as girls' name)
Karson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Karson's strongest decade.
10,704 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Karson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 40
1970s
40 births
- 1980s 149
1980s
149 births
- 1990s 694
1990s
694 births
- 2000s 3,939
2000s
3,939 births
- 2010s
2010s
10,704 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,863 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 10,704 births (50% of all-time use).
How Karson 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 Karson's total volume
Karson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Karson by state
Where Karson concentrates geographically, total births since 1966
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,972 | 9.2% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 1,051 | 4.9% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 986 | 4.6% |
| #4 | Louisiana | | 905 | 4.2% |
| #5 | California | | 883 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 855 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Florida | | 803 | 3.8% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 789 | 3.7% |
Texas share of Karson's total US births 9.2%
Even split
1,972 of 21,394 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 49 reporting states.
Karson appears in 49 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karson? ▼
21,394 babies have been named Karson since 1966. It currently ranks #397 among boys. The peak year was 2018 with 1,345 births.
When was Karson most popular? ▼
Karson was most popular in the 2010s decade with 10,704 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Karson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karson are Texas (1,972 births), Georgia (1,051 births), Ohio (986 births).
Is Karson a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Karson is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 21,394 births, and as a girl's name it has 2,106 births.
How long has the name Karson been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Karson since 1966 -- 60 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Karson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karl, Karter, Kareem, Karim, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Karson's data
- Karson's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (10,704 total births) through the 2020s (5,863) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Karsons (1,972 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Karson
Nearby Names Like Karson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karson
Karl Boy
#1689 100,836 births
Karter Boy
#248 29,465 births
Kareem Boy
#675 18,161 births
Karim Boy
#820 6,886 births
Karsen Boy
#1851 3,472 births
Compare Karson side by side: Karson vs Karl Karson vs Karter Karson vs Kareem
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Karson
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, 1966–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karson: #397 Unisex Name - 21,394 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karson. 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 Karson 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.