| Carter | Jack | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Cart driver | God is gracious |
| Origin | English | English |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KAR-ter | JAK |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1881 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2015 (10,814) | 1927 (12,802) |
| In 2025 | 6,024 | 8,748 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Carter | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 39,334 | 53,384 |
| 2010s | 95,261 | 85,695 |
| 2000s | 52,320 | 95,512 |
| 1990s | 9,725 | 37,501 |
| 1980s | 1,680 | 15,944 |
| 1970s | 1,359 | 18,562 |
| 1960s | 1,345 | 35,593 |
| 1950s | 1,612 | 62,387 |
| 1940s | 1,340 | 73,919 |
| 1930s | 863 | 96,396 |
| 1920s | 881 | 115,983 |
| 1910s | 680 | 49,526 |
| 1900s | 199 | 9,222 |
| 1890s | 134 | 4,635 |
| 1880s | 100 | 2,684 |
Carter is an English occupational surname for one who drives or makes carts.
Jack began as a medieval pet form of John and grew so common it became a word for “man” (as in “every man Jack”). Now a name in its own right, it is one of the most popular boys’ names in Britain and Ireland.
Jack is more popular than Carter today: about 8,748 US babies were given the name Jack in 2025, compared with 6,024 named Carter.
Carter means Cart driver (English origin), while Jack means God is gracious (English origin).
In US records, Carter first appears in 1881 and Jack in 1880, so Jack has the longer recorded history.