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Home › Baby Names Directory › Karter

Karter

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Karter

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.
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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

peak 201619972025

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

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

Famous Bearers

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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

Explore names like Karter

By themeenglishsurname-nameunisexoccupationalk-spelling
By meaningSea / Water

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karter mean?

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

How do you pronounce Karter?

It's said KAR-ter — two syllables, stress on the first.

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.

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