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Boy name

Carl

Carl holds the #1132 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular boy names in the U.S. That amounts to 187 newborn boys in a single year. The name has been cooling off, slipping from #812 in 2020 to #1132 today. Its strongest year on record was 1894 (#22 nationally, 861 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1880. The name's biggest fan base is in Kansas (#352 there in 2025).

Rankings

2025 rank
#1132
among boy names
Trend
Falling
last 5 years
All-time peak
#22
in 1894 (1890s)
Babies in 2025
187
boys named Carl

Carl popularity, 1880–2025

0.21%0.42%0.63%0.84%18801900192019401960198020002020#22 in 1894
Boys — share of U.S. male birthsSource: SSA, 1880–2025◆ peak 1894

Where Carl is most popular

Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025AK—Maine: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025ME—Vermont: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025VT—New Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025NH—Washington: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025WA—Idaho: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025ID—Montana: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025MT—North Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025ND—Minnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025MN—Wisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025WI—Michigan: #829 (8 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)MI#829New York: #1202 (9 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)NY#1202Massachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025MA—Rhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025RI—Oregon: #604 (5 boys, 0.03% of boys born 2025)OR#604Nevada: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025NV—Wyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025WY—South Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025SD—Iowa: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025IA—Illinois: #870 (9 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)IL#870Indiana: #711 (8 boys, 0.03% of boys born 2025)IN#711Ohio: #710 (12 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)OH#710Pennsylvania: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025PA—New Jersey: #707 (9 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)NJ#707Connecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025CT—California: #1438 (12 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)CA#1438Utah: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025UT—Colorado: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025CO—Nebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025NE—Missouri: #789 (6 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)MO#789Kentucky: #526 (8 boys, 0.04% of boys born 2025)KY#526West Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025WV—Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025VA—Maryland: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025MD—Delaware: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025DE—Arizona: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025AZ—New Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025NM—Kansas: #352 (10 boys, 0.07% of boys born 2025)KS#352Arkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025AR—Tennessee: #777 (8 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)TN#777North Carolina: #936 (8 boys, 0.02% of boys born 2025)NC#936South Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025SC—District of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025DC—Oklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025OK—Louisiana: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025LA—Mississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025MS—Alabama: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025AL—Georgia: #1350 (5 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)GA#1350Hawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Carl in 2025HI—Texas: #1347 (14 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)TX#1347Florida: #1256 (9 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)FL#1256
Share of boys born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: Kansas (#352), Kentucky (#526), Oregon (#604)

Uniqueness score

56/ 100Balanced
everywhereone of a kind

Well known, but far from crowded — the middle of the field. Based on how many babies per birth were named Carl in the most recent year of SSA data.

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