Carson

Carson is a name used as both a surname and a given name in English-speaking countries. As a given name, it is most commonly used for boys, and it also appears for girls on occasion. As a surname, Carson appears in Britain, Ireland, Canada, and the United States and has spread elsewhere through migration. The name's origins are documented in Scottish and English records and it has become established in modern times as both a family name and a first name.

Geographically, Carson is associated with several places in the United States. Carson City, Nevada, is the state capital. Carson, California, is a city in Los Angeles County. The Carson River in western Nevada and the Carson Valley are named after the 19th-century explorer Kit Carson, a figure in American frontier history.

Notable people with Carson as a surname include Rachel Carson, the biologist and environmental writer, and Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon and former U.S. secretary of housing. Notable individuals with Carson as a given name include Carson Daly, a television host; Carson Palmer and Carson Wentz, professional football quarterbacks; and Carson McCullers, a novelist.