Total births
1,495
Boys' name · since 1977
Karthik
Since 1977, U.S. Social Security records show 1,495 babies named Karthik, peaking in 2010. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5313
- among boys today
- 1,495
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 63%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Karthik is the #5313 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,495 recorded since 1977.
Karthik has 1,495 recorded births among boys since 1977, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5313 as of the latest data, more common than 63% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2025.
- #5313 among boys today
- 1,495 born since 1977
- 2010s peak decade
- 63% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Karthik is currently the #5313 boys' name in America, more common than 63% of boys - 1,495 born since 1977, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5313
- among boys today
- 1,495
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 63%
- more common than other boys
Karthik vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5313
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 63% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Karthik was born in this single decade.
2010
Single peak year
79 babies were named Karthik in 2010 - its busiest year on record.
How Karthik compares
1,495 Top 25% higher than 75% 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
Karthik's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Karthik | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,495 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 79 | 23 | 22,252 |
Karthik's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Karthik's full recorded timeline at 2003, 71% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 29% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1977, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2010 peak of 79 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Karthik at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2010
Current rank
#5,313
Active since
1977
Karthik popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2025
- Peak year (2010)
- 79
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Karthik by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Karthik's strongest decade.
561 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Karthik births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 71
1980s
71 births
- 1990s 221
1990s
221 births
- 2000s
2000s
500 births
- 2010s
2010s
561 births
- 2020s 137
2020s
137 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 561 births (38% of all-time use).
How Karthik 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 Karthik's total volume
Karthik vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Karthik by state
Where Karthik concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 229 | 15.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 124 | 8.3% |
| #3 | New Jersey | | 67 | 4.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 16 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 6 | 0.4% |
California share of Karthik's total US births 15.3%
Even split
229 of 1,495 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Karthik appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karthik? ▼
Since 1977, Social Security records show 1,495 babies named Karthik. Today it holds rank #5313 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2010, with 79 births.
When was Karthik most popular? ▼
Karthik was most popular in the 2010s decade with 561 total births. The single peak year was 2010.
Where is Karthik most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karthik are California (229 births), Texas (124 births), New Jersey (67 births).
How long has the name Karthik been used? ▼
Karthik has been recorded in Social Security data since 1977, spanning 49 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Karthik? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karl, Karter, Karson, Kareem, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Karthik's data
- Karthik's decade-level peak was the 2010s (561 total births); usage has since declined to 137 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Karthiks (229 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 Karthik
Nearby Names Like Karthik
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karthik
Karl Boy
#1689 100,836 births
Karter Boy
#248 29,465 births
Karson Boy
#397 21,394 births
Kareem Boy
#675 18,161 births
Karim Boy
#820 6,886 births
Compare Karthik side by side: Karthik vs Karl Karthik vs Karter Karthik vs Karson
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Karthik
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, 1977–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karthik: #5313 Boys' Name - 1,495 Births, Peak 2010." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karthik. 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 Karthik 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.