Carlton
Boy name · #2884 in 2025 · Uniqueness 84/100
In 2025, 43 baby boys were named Carlton, placing it at #2884 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1613, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 41,860 boys born in 2025 was named Carlton.
The 145-year story
Carlton first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 955 boys were named Carlton — good for #246 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Carlton per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carlton against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carlton in class?
Carlton scores 84 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Carlton will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Carlton is most common
State-level data for Carlton is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Carlton
Statistically, parents drawn to Carlton tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Stanton, Clifton, Theron, Alton, and Loren.
StantonCliftonTheronAltonLorenDaronCliffRickey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carlton | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 | #2884 |
| 2024 | 46 | #2789 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2021 | 55 | #2439 |
| 2020 | 61 | #2235 |
| 2019 | 69 | #2081 |
| 2018 | 64 | #2167 |
| 2017 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2016 | 82 | #1828 |
| 2015 | 99 | #1613 |
| 2014 | 88 | #1714 |
| 2013 | 87 | #1695 |
| 2012 | 100 | #1575 |
| 2011 | 102 | #1544 |
| 2010 | 122 | #1376 |
| 2009 | 114 | #1459 |
| 2008 | 128 | #1343 |
| 2007 | 146 | #1206 |
| 2006 | 143 | #1178 |
| 2005 | 180 | #967 |
| 2004 | 137 | #1144 |
| 2003 | 154 | #1024 |
| 2002 | 175 | #917 |
| 2001 | 208 | #805 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Carlton a popular boy name?
Carlton ranked #2884 among boys in 2025 with 43 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1613.
When was the name Carlton most popular?
Carlton peaked in 1957, when 955 American boys received the name (ranked #246 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carlton?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 41,860 newborn American boys was named Carlton. It scores 84/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.