Carmen
Carmen is a unisex given name in the Spanish language. It has two different origins, with its first root used as a nickname for Carmel, from Hebrew karmel meaning "vineyard of God", which is the name of a mountain range in Israel where the Biblical character Elijah challenged the prophets of the Tyranese god Baal.
- Spanish
- English
- Italian
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Carmen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Carmen is a unisex given name in the Spanish language. It has two different origins, with its first root used as a nickname for Carmel, from Hebrew karmel meaning "vineyard of God", which is the name of a mountain range in Israel where the Biblical character Elijah challenged the prophets of the Tyranese god Baal.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Spanish
- English
- Italian
- Portuguese
- French
- Romanian
- German
The Story of Carmen
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Carmen as a girl name dates back to 1881, when 7 babies received it. 1960 was its biggest year on record, with 2,439 newborns named Carmen — #167 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #411 among girl names with 744 births, holding steady (-1%). In total, more than 143K Carmens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Carmen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1894, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1924: 344 births, good for #308 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,861 among boy names with 87 births, rising sharply (+200% over the past five years). In total, more than 17K Carmens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Carmen
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Carmen. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Carmen
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Carmen Alguindingue , Venezuelan professor and activist, appointed as ambassador to Andorra
- Carmen Aranegui (born 1945), Spanish archaeologist and university professor
- Carmen Argenziano , American actor
- Carmen Basilio , American professional boxer
- Carmen Bernand , French historian and Latin Americanist
- Carmen Blanco y Trigueros , Spanish writer, poet, journalist
- Carmen Bozello y Guzmán , Puerto Rican writer
- Carmen Bueno (disappeared 1974), Chilean missing woman
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Carmen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Carmen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carmen
What does the name Carmen mean?
What is the origin of the name Carmen?
How popular is Carmen in 2026?
When was Carmen most popular?
In which U.S. states is Carmen most popular?
Is Carmen a unisex name?
What names go well with Carmen?
What are nicknames or variants of Carmen?
About the name Carmen
Carmen is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 143K births in the dataset. Carmen's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #141. Use the chart and map above to compare Carmen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.