Carmen
From Spanish Carmen, cognate with English Carmel.
Every Carmen since 1881 — 159,756 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carmen
Carmen is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #389 in 2025 with 798 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 159,756 American babies have been named Carmen — about 89% girls and 11% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1961, when 2,622 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carmen stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carmen year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 798 | #389 | 104 | #1,624 |
| 2024 | 751 | #417 | 83 | #1,906 |
| 2023 | 712 | #435 | 51 | #2,586 |
| 2022 | 696 | #453 | 30 | #3,703 |
| 2021 | 716 | #437 | 26 | #4,033 |
| 2020 | 708 | #433 | 20 | #4,728 |
| 2019 | 743 | #428 | 29 | #3,732 |
| 2018 | 733 | #431 | 18 | #5,140 |
| 2017 | 776 | #409 | 17 | #5,326 |
| 2016 | 830 | #400 | 32 | #3,455 |
| 2015 | 859 | #382 | 23 | #4,313 |
| 2014 | 855 | #383 | 23 | #4,281 |
| 2013 | 881 | #358 | 26 | #3,878 |
| 2012 | 943 | #332 | 28 | #3,729 |
| 2011 | 919 | #349 | 38 | #3,004 |
| 2010 | 1,017 | #314 | 37 | #3,081 |
| 2009 | 1,106 | #301 | 26 | #3,932 |
| 2008 | 1,312 | #262 | 42 | #2,835 |
| 2007 | 1,244 | #275 | 45 | #2,688 |
| 2006 | 1,284 | #257 | 47 | #2,545 |
| 2005 | 1,227 | #268 | 54 | #2,211 |
| 2004 | 1,363 | #239 | 36 | #2,851 |
| 2003 | 1,291 | #254 | 47 | #2,279 |
| 2002 | 1,020 | #306 | 63 | #1,820 |
| 2001 | 1,175 | #267 | 38 | #2,530 |
| 2000 | 1,195 | #270 | 66 | #1,714 |
| 1995 | 1,004 | #272 | 63 | #1,511 |
| 1990 | 1,314 | #218 | 92 | #1,118 |
| 1985 | 1,168 | #224 | 77 | #1,051 |
| 1980 | 1,461 | #183 | 100 | #895 |
| 1975 | 1,775 | #151 | 114 | #775 |
| 1970 | 2,202 | #152 | 127 | #728 |
| 1965 | 2,148 | #165 | 159 | #605 |
| 1960 | 2,440 | #167 | 176 | #587 |
| 1955 | 2,048 | #169 | 194 | #526 |
| 1950 | 1,460 | #186 | 199 | #474 |
| 1945 | 872 | #218 | 170 | #455 |
| 1940 | 823 | #211 | 219 | #386 |
| 1935 | 830 | #206 | 211 | #373 |
| 1930 | 1,044 | #184 | 274 | #336 |
| 1925 | 939 | #209 | 335 | #311 |
| 1920 | 757 | #237 | 292 | #342 |
| 1915 | 483 | #267 | 211 | #370 |
| 1910 | 181 | #289 | 41 | #421 |
| 1905 | 89 | #354 | 12 | #704 |
| 1900 | 91 | #352 | 10 | #849 |
| 1895 | 29 | #548 | 5 | #1,102 |
| 1890 | 28 | #492 | — | — |
| 1885 | 24 | #430 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Carmen
- Carmen Amaya Actor · 1913–1963
- Carmen Miranda Singer · 1909–1955
- Carmen Maura Actor · b. 1945
- Carmen Franco, 1st Duchess of Franco Politician · 1926–2017
- Carmen Polo, 1st Lady of Meirás Politician · 1900–1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carmen mean?
From Spanish Carmen, cognate with English Carmel.
How popular is the name Carmen in 2025?
Carmen ranked #389 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 798 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carmen?
159,756 babies have been named Carmen in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carmen most popular?
Carmen peaked in 1961, when 2,622 newborns received the name.
Is Carmen a boy or girl name?
Carmen is used for both: about 89% of babies named Carmen have been girls and 11% boys.
Is the name Carmen rising or falling?
Carmen has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Carmen?
Well-known people named Carmen include Carmen Amaya (actor), Carmen Miranda (singer), Carmen Maura (actor).