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Home › Baby Names Directory › Carlton

Carlton

♂ Boy

Pronounced KAHRL-tuhn /ˈkɑɹl.tən/Medium

Meaning: Settlement of free menMedium

In 30 seconds: Carlton is an English boy's name meaning 'settlement of free men', drawn from place names and surnames.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningSettlement of free men
U.S. rank (2025)#2893 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births43 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1957
Total births (all-time)≈ 48,890

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195718802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Carlton comes from English locations and family names meaning 'settlement of free men', combining an Old English sense of free peasants with -ton for a town or homestead. As a first name it keeps that landed, place-rooted dignity.

Its variants Carleton and Charlton shift a letter or two while keeping the same 'settlement' meaning; baseball Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk (born 1947) is among its bearers.

Did you know? Carlton is a spelling variant of Charlton, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'settlement of free men' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Carlton — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

CarletonCharlton

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Carlton Fisk (1947–present)
    Baseball player with Boston AL, Chicago AL.
  • ★Carlton Chambers (1975–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Carlton…

Charles— Shares the 'free man' element at the heart of Carlton.
Cashton— lands in the same popularity range
Camron— echoes that soft -on sound
Clifton— another English name
Canon— echoes that soft -on sound

Explore names like Carlton

By themeenglish
By meaningFreedom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Carlton mean?

Carlton is usually explained as meaning 'settlement of free men' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Carlton?

It's commonly said KAHRL-tuhn /ˈkɑɹl.tən/.

Is Carlton a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Carlton is used as a boy name.

How popular is Carlton?

In 2024, Carlton ranked #2829 in the U.S. for boys, with 45 births recorded.

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