Carlton
Carlton is a masculine given name, meaning "free peasant settlement" or "from the town of the free men ". Prominent individuals with this name include:
Meaning & Origin of Carlton
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Carlton is a masculine given name, meaning "free peasant settlement" or "from the town of the free men ". Prominent individuals with this name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Carlton
Carlton first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 13 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 955 Carltons were born — ranking #246 that year. As of 2026, Carlton ranks #3,110 for baby boys with 39 births, falling sharply (-35%). In total, more than 49K Carltons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Carlton
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Carlton B. Ardery Jr. (died 1965), American test pilot
- Carlton Barrett (1950–1987), reggae drummer and percussion player; member of Bob Marley and The Wailers
- Carlton W. Barrett (1919–1986), US Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
- Carlton "Bub" Carrington (born 2005), American basketball player
- Carlton Cole (born 1983), English footballer
- Carlton Cuse (born 1959), American screenwriter and producer
- Carlton Davis (born 1996), American football player
- Carlton Fairweather (1961–2025), English footballer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Carlton
Phonetically similar names — useful when Carlton is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carlton
What does the name Carlton mean?
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In which U.S. states is Carlton most popular?
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About the name Carlton
Carlton is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 49K births in the dataset. Carlton's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #217. Use the chart and map above to compare Carlton's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.