Carmen

A unisex name of Latin origin, meaning song; poem; possibly from mount carmel.

Babies a year
789
the US, 2017
Rarity
Uncommon
among names in use
US popularity
#389
up from #416
UK popularity
#792
46 babies

How Carmen has moved

US popularity rank, 2015–2025. Lower is more popular.
#343#419#494201520202025#389

View as table
YearUS rank
2015#381
2016#401
2017#409
2018#431
2019#429
2020#434
2021#437
2022#456
2023#434
2024#416
2025#389

Carmen by the numbers

In 2025, 46 babies in England and Wales were named Carmen. In the US, 789 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.

For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.

Its American peak was 2,440 babies in 1960, making it a 1960s name.

At its height, in 1970, about 1 in 830 American babies born that year was called Carmen.

0%0.1%0.1%1900192019401960198020001970
Carmen as a share of American babies born, 1880 to 2008, at five year intervals. Source: US Social Security Administration.

Spelled almost the same

Other names in the records within a letter or two of Carmen. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.

  • Cardenfrom the garden; a place name27 in the US (2017)
  • Carminsong or verse; a form of Carmen9 in the US (2017)
  • Carlen5 in the US (2017)
  • Caymen5 in the US (2017)
  • Carterone who transports goods by cart10,351 in the US (2017)
  • Carsynson of the marsh dweller; a respelling of Carson296 in the US (2017)

Sounds like Carmen

Names that are said the same way as Carmen, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.

  • Carminecrimson red; derived from carminatus125 in the US (2017)
  • Carmynsong or poem; possibly from Mount Carmel; a modern respelling of Carmen48 in the US (2017)
  • Karmanaction; deed; karma in hindu and buddhist philosophy19 in the US (2017)
  • Karmingarden or orchard; a form of Carmine18 in the US (2017)
  • Karminegarden; a form of Carmine6 in the US (2017)
  • Karmen191 in the US (2017)

Other names that mean song or music

Like Carmen, each of these has song or music in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.

  • Harperharp player10,735 in the US (2017)
  • Ariamelody, air; lioness7,160 in the US (2017)
  • Melodysong, music2,046 in the US (2017)
  • Lyralyre, a musical instrument643 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Apollogreek god of music, poetry, and sun525 in the US (2017)
  • Calliopebeautiful voice; muse of epic poetry57 in England and Wales (2025)

Names about as common as Carmen

NicoSuttonShilohWrenMckinleyJamieSkyeLeslie

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