Home › Baby Names Directory › Karter

Karter

♀ Girl

Karter Pronunciation

Karter is pronounced KAR-ter /ˈkɑːr.tər/High

Meaning: One who transports goods by cart; K-spelling variant of Carter, from Middle English cartare (cart driver)High

In 30 seconds: A K-spelling variant of Carter, the Middle English occupational surname for a cart driver. Like many C-to-K respellings, Karter softens the name visually while maintaining the same strong sound.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighEnglish

MeaningOne who transports goods by cart; K-spelling variant of Carter, from Middle English cartare (cart driver)

U.S. rank (2025)#989 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births256 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,586

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Karter is a spelling variant of Carter, an English occupational surname for someone who drove a cart (cartare in Middle English, from Old French caretier). Carter has been a common surname in England since at least the 13th century.

Karter appeared in U.S. girls' birth data in the 2010s as Carter rose as a boys' name. The K-spelling distinguishes it slightly and gives it a more explicitly modern, feminine feel. It ranked #999 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Carter topped U.S. boys' charts in 2024 — and its K-spelling variant Karter, appearing on girls' data at roughly the same moment, illustrates the pattern of popular boys' names inspiring feminine respellings.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name — Carter — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

CarterKarterr

Nicknames

KartKay

Themes & Styles

English Unisex Surname-style Occupational K-spelling

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Karter…

Carter— the standard C-spelling of the same occupational name, at #45 for boys

Harper— occupational surname name that went to girls' top 10

Slater— occupational surname name in the same category

Hunter— occupational surname name used for both sexes

→ See all names like Karter

Browse the whole category: All English names → · All origins →

Frequently Asked

How do you pronounce Karter?

Karter is pronounced KAR-ter (/ˈkɑːr.tər/). Press play above to hear Karter said aloud.

How do you say Karter?

Karter is said KAR-ter (/ˈkɑːr.tər/). Press play above to hear Karter said aloud.

What does the name Karter mean?

Karter means 'one who transports goods by cart,' a K-spelling variant of the English occupational surname Carter.

Is Karter a boy or girl name?

Karter appears in both boys' and girls' data; the K-spelling is more common in girls' charts.

How popular is Karter?

Karter ranked #999 for U.S. girls in 2024.