Given name & surname
Carson
“from the swamp”·“the son of a marsh dweller”
Carson is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “from the swamp” (Scottish) and “the son of a marsh dweller” (Scottish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “from the swamp” (Scottish) and “the son of a marsh dweller” (Scottish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Scottish, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Carson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 140,887
- 132,774 boys · 8,113 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 5,466 babies
- 2025
- 3,080
- #124 for boys · #1,174 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 96% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,883 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 124 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 31.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 5,259 in 2018. It also appeared in 197 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (200). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 110,436 as a first name in 2020; 54,032 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carson’s family of names
Carson has a feminine form in Karsen. Carson has a related form in Carsen. Carson has a related form in Carsyn.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Carson
- Carson McCullersAmerican writer (1917–1967)
- Carson KressleyAmerican television personality, fashion designerborn 1969
- Carson DalyAmerican television and radio personality and producerborn 1973
- Carson FosterAmerican swimmerborn 2001
- Carson WentzAmerican football player (born 1992)
- Carson PalmerAmerican football player (born 1979)
- Carson BranstineUS American/Canadian tennis playerborn 2000
- Carson CistulliAmerican poet and writerborn 1979
- Carson TylerAmerican diverborn 2004
Characters named Carson: Carson Beckett (fictional human).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Camden
“from the winding valley”
95% boys · 5% girls
Bryson
“the son of Brice”
>99% boys
Carter
“a transporter of merchandise” · “one who transports goods; one who drives a cart”
93% boys · 7% girls
Callan
“one who is powerful in battle” · “a talkative woman”
95% boys · 5% girls
Callahan
Callahan is a masculine given name from Irish.
90% boys · 10% girls
Caden
“a battlemaiden” · “spirt of battle •”
99% boys · 1% girls
Killian
“a warrior woman; of the church” · “one who is small and fierce”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kai
Kai is used in several naming traditions, with different explanations for the same spelling.
93% boys · 7% girls