Carlton

Carlton comes from English place-names built from an older word for a free person or peasant and an element meaning “settlement.” It became a surname for people associated with those places and later moved into first-name use. The name therefore has a geographical and social history, rather than beginning as a longer form of Carl.

Carleton is a closely related spelling found in both surnames and place-names. Used as a first name, Carlton can preserve a family surname or a connection to a particular location. Some listeners may also recognize the fictional Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Carl is available as an everyday shortening, while the full form keeps the settlement-name structure that explains its origin and distinguishes it from the shorter personal name.