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Carson Name Meaning, Origins & History

Carson

Pronunciation: KAR-sun

Meaning Son of the marsh- dwellers Origin surnames Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#124
TREND
1
GIRLS RANK
#1,174
TREND
148
Peak Years
2018, 2008, 2007
Lowest Years
1897, 1893, 1881
Energy Archetype
Cheerful & Expressive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Carson in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Carson

  • A favorite of earlier generations: Carson appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 3 separate runs, totaling 18 years. Its last run lasted 16 consecutive years, from 2006 through 2021.
  • More than 140 thousand babies named Carson: U.S. records list 140,857 babies given the name Carson from 1880 through 2025. Even 8,113 girls received the name Carson - about 1 girl for every 16 boys.

What Does the Name Carson Mean?

Carson is a Scottish and northern English surname used as a given name. It means "son of Carr," a patronymic formed by adding -son to the personal name or byname Carr. The origin of Carr is not entirely certain. One common explanation derives it from Middle English carr, "marsh" or "brushwood," from Old Norse kjarr. Another connects it with Gaelic carr, "rock." Under either explanation, the established meaning of Carson is the patronymic "son of Carr"; the literal sense of Carr depends on which derivation is accepted.

Carson Name History & Origins

The surname Carson developed in Scotland and northern England as a patronymic. It identified a person as the son of a man called Carr, a name or nickname that could refer to a marsh or brushwood, or possibly to a rock. The surname is found in Scottish records and in northern English counties, where the -son ending was a common way of forming family names. Carson remained chiefly a surname until it began to be used as a first name in the English-speaking world. The American frontiersman Christopher "Kit" Carson (1809 - 1868) is a well-known bearer of the surname. The American writer Carson McCullers (1917 - 1967) was born Lula Carson Smith and used Carson professionally, an example of the surname in given-name use. In modern English-speaking countries, Carson is used mainly as a masculine given name, though it also appears as a feminine name.

How Popular is the Name Carson?

Carson recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2018. People named Amelia who were born during its modern resurgence from 2006 through 2021 turn 5-20 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Carson

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

Past Favorite Boy Names

Past Favorite Boy Names: Once-Popular Names

Explore More Lists with Name Carson

Most Popular Boy Names That Start with C

See List of Most Popular Boy Names Starting with C

How the Name Carson Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.

✦ Carson's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Carson's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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