UK name, mostly boys
Karter
Derived from the English word "carter", referring to a transporter of goods.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Karter is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Karter popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #773, with 44 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 77 births.
This profile covers 667 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 793 living people in the UK are called Karter. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Karter ranked #773 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 44 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 77 boys were registered as Karter.
- • Karter ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #374 in 2021.
- • About 793 living people in the UK are estimated to have Karter as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.0% of Karter registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#773
2024
Births in 2024
44
Latest year
Peak year
2019
77 births
Estimated living
793
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Karter
In England and Wales birth records, Karter has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.0% of registrations are for boys and 1.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Karter registered for boys
- Ranked #773 in 2024
- 44 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (77 births)
Karter registered for girls
- Ranked #4,684 in 2018
- 4 girls registered in 2018
- Peak: 2018 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Karter mean?
The name Karter is a relatively modern English name that originated as a surname derived from the occupational term "carter," referring to someone who drove a cart or wagon. This surname likely emerged in the Middle Ages, as the use of horse-drawn carts and wagons for transportation became more widespread.
The name Karter itself has no direct linguistic roots in ancient languages or cultures. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "cræt," which meant "cart" or "wagon." Over time, this word evolved into the Middle English term "carter," denoting a person whose occupation involved driving or handling carts.
While there are no historical references to the name Karter in ancient texts or religious scriptures, some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Carter can be found in Medieval English records and documents. One notable example is William le Carter, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273.
As a given name, Karter likely emerged in the late 20th or early 21st century as a modern variation of the traditional surname Carter. It gained popularity as parents sought unique and distinctive names for their children, often drawing inspiration from occupational surnames or other unconventional sources.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the surname Carter, but fewer individuals with the given name Karter. Here are five examples of people with the first name Karter:
1. Karter Schult (born 2007) - An American child actor known for his roles in various television shows and films.
2. Karter Hodge (born 2005) - An American football player who played as a linebacker for the University of Colorado Boulder.
3. Karter Chavis (born 2008) - An American child actor known for his role in the film "Just Mercy" (2019).
4. Karter Lathrop (born 2009) - An American child model and actor who has appeared in various commercials and television shows.
5. Karter Jones (born 2010) - An American child actor known for his role in the film "The Hangover Part III" (2013).
It's important to note that the name Karter, being a relatively modern invention, has limited historical significance or records compared to more traditional names with deeper roots in different cultures and languages.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Karter over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Karter in England and Wales, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Karter, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 44 births in 2024, compared with 77 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karter by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Karter was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #680 | 259 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1177 | 373 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2585 | 28 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2663 | 7 | 2 |
Geography
Where Karter is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Karter. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Karter ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #374 in 2021.
Across the UK
Karter in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#535 in 2024
12 years of NRS records, 100 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#374 in 2021
8 years of NISRA records, 30 total registered
Related
Names similar to Karter
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Karter: questions and answers
How popular is the name Karter in the UK right now?
In 2024, Karter was ranked #773 for boys in England and Wales, with 44 births registered.
When was Karter most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 77 babies registered as Karter in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Karter?
Derived from the English word "carter", referring to a transporter of goods.
How many people are called Karter in the UK?
A total of 667 babies have been registered as Karter across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 100 more in Scotland and 30 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Karter most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Karter ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #374 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.