Spelling comparison
Carson vs Karson
Side by side for 2025, Carson has the higher published total (3,080) and Karson has 732. Carson is 80.8% of the pair and Karson is 19.2%.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
The two spellings share a Little Names spelling key. Carson profile · Karson profile
Carson versus Karson is a spelling comparison, not a comparison of two different names. Each figure belongs to one exact spelling. Carson and Karson use the same number of letters, so the contrast is which letters appear. Carson uses “C” where Karson uses “K”, before “arson”.
From 1966 through 2025, every year in which both spellings were published had the same leader on the combined count. There is no crossover in that overlap.
Carson is first published in these national files in 1880, and Karson in 1966. Carson’s larger 2025 category is male. Karson’s larger 2025 category is male. Carson led 7 decades among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 4,053 records in 2018, and the closest year was 2024 (a gap of 2,203). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (3,812), Carson is 80.8% and Karson is 19.2%.
2016–2025, count and rank
2016 belongs to Carson. Carson had 186 female records (rank #1,291) and 4,931 male records (rank #81); Karson had 84 female records (rank #2,280) and 1,104 male records (rank #318). The gap that year was 3,929 records. For 2017, compare the categories separately: Carson had 193 female records (rank #1,237) and 4,766 male records (rank #83); Karson had 64 female records (rank #2,703) and 1,269 male records (rank #286). Carson led 2017 by 3,626 published records (4,959 to 1,333), and the smaller spelling is Karson. Carson was the higher published spelling in 2018, with 207 female records (rank #1,163) and 5,259 male records (rank #70) against 68 female records (rank #2,575) and 1,345 male records (rank #265) for Karson. The 2019 national file shows Carson led 2019 by 3,302 published records (4,688 to 1,386). Read as exact spellings: Carson had 166 female records (rank #1,360) and 4,522 male records (rank #82); Karson had 55 female records (rank #2,976) and 1,331 male records (rank #270). 2020: Carson led 2020 by 3,056 published records (4,398 to 1,342). Carson and Karson stay separate rows; 4,398 and 1,342 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2021, Carson had 172 female records (rank #1,312) and 3,777 male records (rank #97); Karson had 47 female records (rank #3,367) and 1,090 male records (rank #305). Carson led 2021 by 2,812 published records (3,949 to 1,137). 2022 belongs to Carson. Carson had 170 female records (rank #1,368) and 3,408 male records (rank #110); Karson had 57 female records (rank #2,946) and 988 male records (rank #339). The gap that year was 2,533 records. For 2023, compare the categories separately: Carson had 188 female records (rank #1,239) and 3,210 male records (rank #112); Karson had 49 female records (rank #3,298) and 987 male records (rank #338). Carson led 2023 by 2,362 published records (3,398 to 1,036), and the smaller spelling is Karson. Carson was the higher published spelling in 2024, with 173 female records (rank #1,328) and 2,901 male records (rank #124) against 52 female records (rank #3,101) and 819 male records (rank #397) for Karson. The 2025 national file shows Carson led 2025 by 2,348 published records (3,080 to 732). Read as exact spellings: Carson had 197 female records (rank #1,174) and 2,883 male records (rank #124); Karson had 42 female records (rank #3,612) and 690 male records (rank #453).
| Year | Carson female count | Carson female rank | Carson male count | Carson male rank | Karson female count | Karson female rank | Karson male count | Karson male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 186 | 1,291 | 4,931 | 81 | 84 | 2,280 | 1,104 | 318 |
| 2017 | 193 | 1,237 | 4,766 | 83 | 64 | 2,703 | 1,269 | 286 |
| 2018 | 207 | 1,163 | 5,259 | 70 | 68 | 2,575 | 1,345 | 265 |
| 2019 | 166 | 1,360 | 4,522 | 82 | 55 | 2,976 | 1,331 | 270 |
| 2020 | 202 | 1,159 | 4,196 | 84 | 53 | 3,044 | 1,289 | 266 |
| 2021 | 172 | 1,312 | 3,777 | 97 | 47 | 3,367 | 1,090 | 305 |
| 2022 | 170 | 1,368 | 3,408 | 110 | 57 | 2,946 | 988 | 339 |
| 2023 | 188 | 1,239 | 3,210 | 112 | 49 | 3,298 | 987 | 338 |
| 2024 | 173 | 1,328 | 2,901 | 124 | 52 | 3,101 | 819 | 397 |
| 2025 | 197 | 1,174 | 2,883 | 124 | 42 | 3,612 | 690 | 453 |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Carson is the warm line and Karson is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
The 1880s total is one-sided: 89 published records for Carson, and no published 1880s count for Karson. The 1890s total is one-sided: 93 published records for Carson, and no published 1890s count for Karson. The 1900s total is one-sided: 142 published records for Carson, and no published 1900s count for Karson. The 1910s total is one-sided: 753 published records for Carson, and no published 1910s count for Karson. The 1920s total is one-sided: 1,050 published records for Carson, and no published 1920s count for Karson. The 1930s total is one-sided: 933 published records for Carson, and no published 1930s count for Karson. The 1940s total is one-sided: 1,145 published records for Carson, and no published 1940s count for Karson. The 1950s total is one-sided: 1,258 published records for Carson, and no published 1950s count for Karson. The 1960s files give 882 published records to Carson and 5 to Karson, so Carson led the decade. Carson was the 1970s leader, 1,294 published records against 40 for Karson. The 1980s files give 2,569 published records to Carson and 154 to Karson, so Carson led the decade. Carson was the 1990s leader, 12,214 published records against 1,156 for Karson. The 2000s files give 47,186 published records to Carson and 4,617 to Karson, so Carson led the decade. Carson was the 2010s leader, 49,802 published records against 11,365 for Karson. The 2020s files give 21,477 published records to Carson and 6,163 to Karson, so Carson led the decade.
Top states in 2025
Carson’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are Texas (200), Pennsylvania (184), Florida (172), California (168), Ohio (153). Karson’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are Texas (57), Georgia (43), Florida (34), North Carolina (34), Mississippi (31). Texas, Florida are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.