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Carver

♂ Boy

Pronounced KAR-vuhr /ˈkɑr.vər/Medium

Meaning: From an English occupational surname for a carver or sculptor of wood or stone, now used as a given name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Carver comes from an English occupational surname for someone who carved wood or stone, now used as a first name.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom an English occupational surname for a carver or sculptor of wood or stone, now used as a given name.

U.S. rank (2025)#1499 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births117 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2018

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,159

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Carver names a trade: it began as a surname for a person who carved or sculpted wood or stone. Brought forward as a given name, it keeps that hands-on, craftsman's association. Its meaning is plain and unhidden, rooted in honest work.

The hard opening and clipped two syllables give it a sturdy, modern-rugged sound that fits the current taste for surname-style first names.

Did you know? Carver likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Carver — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★George Washington Carver (1864-1943)
American agricultural scientist and inventor
★Raymond Carver (1938-1988)
American short-story writer and poet

If you like Carver…

Carter— another English occupational surname, of a cart-driver, turned popular first name

Cooper— shares Carver's trade-surname origin, naming a barrel-maker

Colter— another English name

Chester— echoes that soft -er sound

Calder— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Carver

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Carver mean?

Carver is usually explained as meaning 'wood carver' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Carver?

It's commonly said KAR-vuhr /ˈkɑr.vər/.

Is Carver a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Carver?

In 2024, Carver ranked #1478 in the U.S. for boys, with 122 births recorded.