Karsten
Karsten or Carsten is both a masculine given name and a surname. It is believed to be either derived from a Low German form of Christian, or "man from karst". Notable persons with the name include:
- Low German
- Danish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Karsten
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Karsten or Carsten is both a masculine given name and a surname. It is believed to be either derived from a Low German form of Christian, or "man from karst". Notable persons with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Low German
- Danish
- Norwegian
The Story of Karsten
American parents first put Karsten on the record books as a baby boy name in 1950, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2010, when 135 Karstens were born — ranking #1,284 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Karstens. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,132 among baby boy names with 26 births, falling sharply (-50%). In total, more than 3K Karstens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Karsten
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Karsten. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Karsten
Phonetically similar names — useful when Karsten 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 Karsten
What does the name Karsten mean?
What is the origin of the name Karsten?
How popular is Karsten in 2026?
When was Karsten most popular?
In which U.S. states is Karsten most popular?
Is Karsten a unisex name?
What names go well with Karsten?
What are nicknames or variants of Karsten?
About the name Karsten
Karsten is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1950 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Karsten's peak popularity came in 2010 when it ranked #1,242. Use the chart and map above to compare Karsten's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2010 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.