Carson
Boy / Girl name · 1,067 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Carson: 1,067 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 83 births in 2021.
Originating as a Scottish surname, Carson means “son of the marsh-dweller,” from the Gaelic *carr* (rock or marsh) combined with the patronymic *-son*. It was popularised in America by frontiersman Kit Carson, after whom Nevada’s capital, Carson City, and the Carson River were named. Literary fame came with Carson McCullers, author of *The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter*, while television audiences know Carson Daly and fashion expert Carson Kressley. Though historically a boy’s name, Carson has become increasingly unisex in recent decades, blending Scottish heritage with a crisp, modern edge. Its rise in Scotland since the 1990s reflects a broader trend of surname-first names crossing the Atlantic and feeling fresh yet rooted.
Boy 26 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 202183 babies
- Latest (2025)
- #10349 babies
- Total births
- 1,064since 1998
- 5-year trend
- ▼ 6%vs prior 5y
Girl 1 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 20013 babies
- Latest (2001)
- #6273 babies
- Total births
- 3since 2001
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y