Carter

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Carter: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Carter: Recorded every year since 1996, it reached #21 in 2015, and it was still inside the top 100 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
113times a registrar ranked it
30years from first to last
#21highest recorded position
20groupings it qualifies for
14names it appears alongside

What stands out in Carter's record

England and Wales registered 1,030 births with the name in 2018, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Appears alongside 14 other names across 5 kinds of recorded relationship. All recorded relationships

Region

Rising

among girls in England and Wales · 2014–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
2014	#5691
2016	#4096
2017	#4063
2018	#2674
2019	#4686
2020	#3117
2022	#3148
2024	#4843

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among boys in England and Wales in every year from 1996 to 2024.

In 2024: #638 among girls in Scotland, #4843 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1996–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #755 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2006–2023
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in New Zealand, in 2015 (recorded 2006–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #70 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Carter appears in 6 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is England and Wales · Boys, which has ranked it in 29 years beginning in 1996, and has registered 11,505 births with the name.

Carter across 6 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Carter's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
England and Wales · Boys	#755 (1996)	#60 (2018)	#103 (2024)	29 of 29	11,505 (1996–2024)	1,030 (2018)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#192 (1997)	#53 (2013)	#114 (2024)	28 of 28	966 (1997–2024)	57 (2013)
New Zealand · Boys	#95 (2006)	#21 (2015)	#30 (2023)	18 of 18	2,031 (2006–2023)	180 (2015)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#604 (2009)	#113 (2019)	#317 (2025)	17 of 17	468 (2009–2025)	61 (2019)
England and Wales · Girls	#5691 (2014)	#2674 (2018)	#4843 (2024)	8 of 11	44 (2014–2024)	9 (2018)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#83 (2015)	#60 (2018)	#70 (2025)	11 of 11	1,379 (2015–2025)	150 (2018)

Carter by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Carter in England and Wales · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1990s	137	4 of 10	34
2000s	1,242	10 of 10	124
2010s	6,500	10 of 10	650
2020sbusiest	3,626	5 of 10	725

Across England and Wales · Boys, the 2020s were its busiest decade — the 5 years of it this list covers, averaging 725 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 2011 and 2012, when recorded births rose by 187, from 274 to 461.

See the names England and Waleshas recorded the most births with →

Carter appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1996 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #21 in New Zealand in 2015.

Carter's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#4843	4	High	Verified
2024	England and Wales	male	#103	520	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#86	603	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#3148	7	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#75	738	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#69	825	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#3117	7	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#64	940	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#4686	4	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#63	1,001	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#2674	9	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#60	1,030	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#4063	5	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#62	1,025	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#4096	5	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#82	839	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#94	689	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#5691	3	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#118	530	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#129	463	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#135	461	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#194	274	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#251	188	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#207	228	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#258	168	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#240	174	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#261	142	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#276	117	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#315	94	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#308	91	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#267	106	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#339	75	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#445	47	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#481	42	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#538	35	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#476	40	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#755	20	High	Verified
2025	New South Wales, Australia	male	#70	115	Insufficient	Not yet available
2024	New South Wales, Australia	male	#76	105	Insufficient	Not yet available
2023	New South Wales, Australia	male	#79	102	Insufficient	Not yet available
2022	New South Wales, Australia	male	#79	111	Insufficient	Not yet available
2021	New South Wales, Australia	male	#63	147	Insufficient	Not yet available
2020	New South Wales, Australia	male	#65	141	Insufficient	Not yet available
2019	New South Wales, Australia	male	#62	145	Insufficient	Not yet available
2018	New South Wales, Australia	male	#60	150	Insufficient	Not yet available
2017	New South Wales, Australia	male	#76	121	Insufficient	Not yet available
2016	New South Wales, Australia	male	#82	126	Insufficient	Not yet available
2015	New South Wales, Australia	male	#83	116	Insufficient	Not yet available
2023	New Zealand	male	#30	106	High	Verified
2022	New Zealand	male	#28	114	High	Verified
2021	New Zealand	male	#31	114	High	Verified
2020	New Zealand	male	#24	129	High	Verified
2019	New Zealand	male	#28	129	High	Verified
2018	New Zealand	male	#27	131	High	Verified
2017	New Zealand	male	#26	145	High	Verified
2016	New Zealand	male	#22	165	High	Verified
2015	New Zealand	male	#21	180	High	Verified
2014	New Zealand	male	#34	125	High	Verified
2013	New Zealand	male	#41	121	High	Verified
2012	New Zealand	male	#43	124	High	Verified
2011	New Zealand	male	#53	103	High	Verified
2010	New Zealand	male	#57	90	High	Verified
2009	New Zealand	male	#68	75	High	Verified
2008	New Zealand	male	#75	71	High	Verified
2007	New Zealand	male	#98	54	High	Verified
2006	New Zealand	male	#95	55	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#114	20	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#88	28	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#115	22	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#82	36	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#96	28	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#60	51	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#60	50	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#53	56	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#60	54	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#77	45	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#63	47	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#53	57	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#60	55	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#80	44	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#91	36	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#71	47	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#74	53	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#79	40	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#56	55	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#119	20	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#80	35	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#112	21	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#125	18	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#131	15	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#189	7	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#186	8	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#158	11	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#192	7	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	13	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#179	28	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#166	31	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	29	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#215	23	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#155	37	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#113	61	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#180	31	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#134	46	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#184	31	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#190	30	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#203	29	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#202	29	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#221	26	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#302	15	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#542	5	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#604	4	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	female	#638	4	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#72	71	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1996 and 2025, ranked in 30 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #21, first reached in 2015.

It held a top-100 place in 21 years, 20 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 1,030 births, registered in England and Wales in 2018.

1 registrar publishes it in more than one category list, holding a place in each for at least five years — an observation about those lists rather than about the name.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1997, and 28 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Carson · #91, 30y
Carsten · #214, 57y
Carter-James · #1042, 13y
Carter-Jay · #1692, 11y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Xavier · #22, 30y
Bailey · #23, 30y
Ezra · #23, 30y
Lola · #23, 30y

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1990 and 1999.

Calum · #21, 34y
Jackson · #21, 36y
Teddy · #20, 30y
Xavier · #22, 30y

Comparisons involving Carter

Existing comparison pages where Carter and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Carter in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Tom vs Carter
Tom and Carter changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #60 and #114.
Tom · Carter · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Charlie vs Carter
Charlie and Carter both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Charlie · Carter · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Moved together in several countries
George vs Carter
George and Carter both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
George · Carter · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Moved together in several countries

Order changes

Pairs where Carter and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Nathan vs Carter
In New Zealand · Boys, Carter moved into the top 50 at #34 in 2014 as Nathan fell out of it to #52, having been #37 the year before.
Nathan · Carter · 18 shared years, 2006–2023 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2014 New Zealand ranking

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Pairs involving Carter measured in New Zealand's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Carter at its highest position.

Oliver vs Carter
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Oliver #1 in 2013, Carter #21 in 2015.
Oliver · Carter · 18 shared years, 2006–2023 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2015 New Zealand ranking

New Zealand overview→

Carter was ranked #21 in New Zealand · Boys in 2015. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Carter and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Carter without appearing here.

Carter moved ahead of

Cheryl Compare
In 2019 they stood at #4686 and #2286 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #3117 and #5493.
Kristine Compare
In 2019 they stood at #4686 and #4686 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #3117 and #5493.
Geraldine Compare
In 2015 they stood at #5691 and #4684 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2016 that had become #4096 and #5785.
Hayden Compare
In 2023 they stood at #3148 and #3148 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #4843 and #5891.

Moved ahead of Carter

Maren Compare
In 2023 they stood at #3148 and #4645 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #4843 and #4192.
Jackson Compare
In 2024 they stood at #179 and #200 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2025 that had become #317 and #198.
Noah Compare
In 2004 they stood at #80 and #108 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2005 that had become #119 and #55.
Luca Compare
In 2019 they stood at #60 and #86 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2020 that had become #96 and #56.

Moved the opposite way to Carter

Aaron Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 while Aaron went from #33 to #154.
Adam Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 while Adam went from #16 to #35.
Alan Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 while Alan went from #163 to #592.
Alex Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 while Alex went from #43 to #171.

Moved the same way as Carter

Albie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 and Albie from #853 to #19.
Alfie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 and Alfie from #119 to #16.
Alfred Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 and Alfred from #218 to #81.
Archie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Carter went from #755 to #103 and Archie from #192 to #10.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1996 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #21 in New Zealand in 2015. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Carter

Carter at a glance

What stands out in Carter's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Carter across 6 official records

Carter by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Carter appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Comparisons involving Carter

Longest shared records

Order changes

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Names published alongside Carter

Carter and the names beside it

Carter moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Carter

Moved the opposite way to Carter

Moved the same way as Carter

Carter at a glance

What stands out in Carter's record

Carter across 6 official records

Carter by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Carter appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Comparisons involving Carter

Longest shared records

Order changes

Compared inside New Zealand lists

Names published alongside Carter

Carter and the names beside it

Carter moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Carter

Moved the opposite way to Carter

Moved the same way as Carter