Unisex name · since 1950
Karsten
Since 1950, U.S. Social Security records show 3,252 babies named Karsten, peaking in 2010. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,391 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #4,167 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,252
- born since 1950
- 2000s
- peak decade
Karsten currently ranks #4167 among unisex names in America, with 3,252 babies recorded since 1950.
Social Security Administration records show Karsten recorded 3,252 times among boys since 1950, holding rank #4167 nationally today, ahead of 70% 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 1950 to 2025.
- #2,391 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #4,167 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 3,252 born since 1950
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Karsten ranks #2,391 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #4,167 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 3,252 born since 1950, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2,391 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #4,167 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,252
- born since 1950
- 2000s
- peak decade
Karsten's 3,252 recorded births place it above 94.74% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
25 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Karsten compares
3,252 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Karsten's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Karsten | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,252 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 135 | 34 | 22,252 |
Karsten's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Karsten's SSA record in two at 1992 and the more recent half accounts for 79% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 21%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1954, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2010 peak of 135, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Karsten popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–2025
- Peak year (2010)
- 135
- Annual births at peak, across 76 years of records
Karsten popularity over time - girls
172 total births recorded since 1972 (Karsten as girls' name)
Karsten by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (1,084 births, 33% of the file).
2000s was Karsten's strongest decade.
1,084 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Karsten births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 18
1950s
18 births
- 1960s 98
1960s
98 births
- 1970s 283
1970s
283 births
- 1980s 211
1980s
211 births
- 1990s
1990s
498 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,084 births
- 2010s
2010s
887 births
- 2020s 173
2020s
173 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,084 births (33% of all-time use).
How Karsten 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 Karsten's total volume
Karsten by state
Where Karsten concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 197 | 6.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 136 | 4.2% |
| #3 | Washington | | 103 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 76 | 2.3% |
| #5 | Arizona | | 73 | 2.2% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 59 | 1.8% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 54 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 52 | 1.6% |
197 of 3,252 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Karsten appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Karsten's data
- Karsten's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,084 total births); usage has since declined to 173 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Karstens (197 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 Karsten
Nearby Names Like Karsten
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karsten
Compare Karsten side by side: Karsten vs Karl Karsten vs Karter Karsten vs Karson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Karsten
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Karsten: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2010)
Similar record span (~75 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, 1950–2025 (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 Karsten 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.