Carmel
Carmel is given to both girls and boys: 26 girls and 11 boys were given it in 2025 (#5,003 among girls’ names and #7,276 among boys’, #6,863 among all names counting both); 8,609 Americans have been recorded with it since 1888 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 4,190 Americans named Carmel and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (49% of everyone recorded); the median is 61 years old and half are between 42 and 70.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Carmel by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Carmel mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Carmel is “a female given name from Hebrew from the Roman Catholic epithet of Virgin Mary at Mount Carmel.” Its etymology gives the sense “vineyard of El/God” (כַּרְמֶל).
From Hebrew כַּרְמֶל (karmél, “vineyard of El/God”).
/ˈkɑɹ.məl/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Carmel?
#5,003 among girls’ names, 2025
Carmel rose from #6,774 in 2015 to #5,003 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 10.1 to 16.2 per million.
189 babies in 1924, the peak
Carmel peaked in 1924, when 189 babies were given it (153 girls, #601 among girls’ names). The 37 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 20% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #5,003 | 11 | #7,276 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4,790 | 6 | #11,171 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8,579 | 7 | #9,916 |
| 2022 | 20 | #6,032 | 6 | #11,092 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,113 | 6 | #11,018 |
| 2020 | 13 | #8,059 | 5 | #12,355 |
| 2019 | 14 | #7,816 | 8 | #9,030 |
| 2018 | 9 | #10,734 | under 5 | |
| 2017 | 20 | #6,090 | 6 | #10,998 |
| 2016 | 8 | #11,999 | 7 | #9,835 |
Every recorded year (135)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 18 | #6,774 | under 5 | |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,027 | 8 | #8,902 |
| 2013 | 22 | #5,853 | 9 | #8,218 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,926 | 7 | #9,868 |
| 2011 | 17 | #7,179 | 7 | #9,776 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8,819 | under 5 | |
| 2009 | 20 | #6,608 | 10 | #7,772 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6,604 | 8 | #9,127 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5,260 | 7 | #9,923 |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,633 | 8 | #8,844 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6,314 | 6 | #10,311 |
| 2004 | 20 | #6,013 | 8 | #8,249 |
| 2003 | 18 | #6,356 | under 5 | |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,113 | 5 | #10,913 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4,858 | under 5 | |
| 2000 | 18 | #5,982 | under 5 | |
| 1999 | 24 | #4,599 | 5 | #10,118 |
| 1998 | 13 | #7,176 | 5 | #9,828 |
| 1997 | 17 | #5,667 | 6 | #8,277 |
| 1996 | 15 | #6,103 | under 5 | |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,676 | under 5 | |
| 1994 | 17 | #5,479 | under 5 | |
| 1993 | 19 | #5,023 | under 5 | |
| 1992 | 18 | #5,299 | under 5 | |
| 1991 | 27 | #3,829 | 6 | #7,389 |
| 1990 | 30 | #3,530 | 5 | #8,289 |
| 1989 | 26 | #3,792 | under 5 | |
| 1988 | 30 | #3,232 | under 5 | |
| 1987 | 42 | #2,441 | 10 | #4,281 |
| 1986 | 27 | #3,286 | 7 | #5,409 |
| 1985 | 37 | #2,602 | 8 | #4,755 |
| 1984 | 29 | #2,998 | 7 | #5,042 |
| 1983 | 32 | #2,724 | under 5 | |
| 1982 | 29 | #3,023 | 5 | #6,501 |
| 1981 | 35 | #2,619 | 7 | #5,016 |
| 1980 | 49 | #2,099 | 6 | #5,613 |
| 1979 | 46 | #2,154 | under 5 | |
| 1978 | 40 | #2,273 | 6 | #5,146 |
| 1977 | 40 | #2,262 | 6 | #5,215 |
| 1976 | 43 | #2,031 | under 5 | |
| 1975 | 59 | #1,642 | 7 | #4,379 |
| 1974 | 54 | #1,693 | 8 | #3,886 |
| 1973 | 47 | #1,806 | under 5 | |
| 1972 | 55 | #1,631 | 8 | #3,667 |
| 1971 | 63 | #1,548 | under 5 | |
| 1970 | 83 | #1,293 | 6 | #4,302 |
| 1969 | 66 | #1,442 | 9 | #3,091 |
| 1968 | 94 | #1,099 | 6 | #3,737 |
| 1967 | 71 | #1,282 | under 5 | |
| 1966 | 86 | #1,142 | 8 | #3,022 |
| 1965 | 83 | #1,177 | 5 | #3,986 |
| 1964 | 110 | #1,026 | 9 | #2,888 |
| 1963 | 124 | #949 | 10 | #2,693 |
| 1962 | 155 | #848 | 6 | #3,686 |
| 1961 | 108 | #1,057 | 7 | #3,398 |
| 1960 | 131 | #931 | 11 | #2,554 |
| 1959 | 122 | #949 | 10 | #2,681 |
| 1958 | 115 | #962 | 17 | #1,962 |
| 1957 | 143 | #847 | 8 | #3,050 |
| 1956 | 136 | #850 | 8 | #3,003 |
| 1955 | 136 | #829 | 9 | #2,796 |
| 1954 | 50 | #1,424 | 8 | #2,986 |
| 1953 | 69 | #1,164 | 11 | #2,410 |
| 1952 | 72 | #1,107 | 14 | #2,087 |
| 1951 | 75 | #1,068 | 16 | #1,914 |
| 1950 | 67 | #1,123 | 12 | #2,229 |
| 1949 | 60 | #1,173 | 18 | #1,765 |
| 1948 | 70 | #1,054 | 19 | #1,710 |
| 1947 | 88 | #942 | 14 | #2,088 |
| 1946 | 64 | #1,060 | 18 | #1,701 |
| 1945 | 58 | #1,016 | 17 | #1,635 |
| 1944 | 48 | #1,128 | 18 | #1,637 |
| 1943 | 51 | #1,126 | 20 | #1,586 |
| 1942 | 65 | #971 | 27 | #1,338 |
| 1941 | 68 | #887 | 18 | #1,644 |
| 1940 | 45 | #1,081 | 13 | #1,996 |
| 1939 | 65 | #869 | 23 | #1,398 |
| 1938 | 52 | #986 | 16 | #1,753 |
| 1937 | 63 | #871 | 22 | #1,451 |
| 1936 | 70 | #806 | 21 | #1,471 |
| 1935 | 63 | #866 | 17 | #1,718 |
| 1934 | 77 | #764 | 15 | #1,871 |
| 1933 | 71 | #783 | 17 | #1,717 |
| 1932 | 107 | #646 | 32 | #1,201 |
| 1931 | 87 | #722 | 18 | #1,704 |
| 1930 | 94 | #717 | 27 | #1,401 |
| 1929 | 109 | #670 | 26 | #1,417 |
| 1928 | 100 | #703 | 28 | #1,390 |
| 1927 | 113 | #682 | 20 | #1,751 |
| 1926 | 131 | #624 | 24 | #1,522 |
| 1925 | 139 | #623 | 37 | #1,166 |
| 1924 | 153 | #601 | 36 | #1,208 |
| 1923 | 137 | #630 | 35 | #1,216 |
| 1922 | 100 | #725 | 28 | #1,402 |
| 1921 | 121 | #672 | 39 | #1,141 |
| 1920 | 115 | #676 | 26 | #1,462 |
| 1919 | 105 | #682 | 23 | #1,536 |
| 1918 | 96 | #731 | 49 | #950 |
| 1917 | 92 | #730 | 39 | #1,065 |
| 1916 | 100 | #684 | 32 | #1,161 |
| 1915 | 108 | #632 | 23 | #1,416 |
| 1914 | 94 | #585 | 30 | #1,028 |
| 1913 | 54 | #708 | 23 | #1,052 |
| 1912 | 56 | #669 | 13 | #1,368 |
| 1911 | 49 | #610 | 6 | #1,563 |
| 1910 | 40 | #673 | 8 | #1,216 |
| 1909 | 26 | #795 | under 5 | |
| 1908 | 27 | #744 | 6 | #1,237 |
| 1907 | 26 | #740 | under 5 | |
| 1906 | 30 | #663 | 5 | #1,270 |
| 1905 | 24 | #737 | under 5 | |
| 1904 | 21 | #783 | under 5 | |
| 1903 | 16 | #865 | under 5 | |
| 1902 | 10 | #1,141 | under 5 | |
| 1901 | 17 | #801 | under 5 | |
| 1900 | 19 | #864 | under 5 | |
| 1899 | 5 | #1,637 | under 5 | |
| 1898 | 8 | #1,275 | under 5 | |
| 1897 | 9 | #1,097 | under 5 | |
| 1896 | 9 | #1,141 | under 5 | |
| 1894 | 8 | #1,147 | under 5 | |
| 1892 | 7 | #1,186 | under 5 | |
| 1891 | 5 | #1,360 | under 5 | |
| 1890 | 6 | #1,234 | under 5 | |
| 1888 | 5 | #1,308 | under 5 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Carmel a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 8,609 Americans recorded as Carmel, 84% are girls and 16% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Carmel: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Carmel, and how old are they?
4,190 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 49% of the 8,609 Americans ever recorded as Carmel. The median Carmel alive today is 61 years old; half are between 42 and 70.
The 2020 Census counted 5,664 people named Carmel (5,026 women and girls, 638 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 4,583 born in the U.S. The Census count is 24% above that prediction. Possible reasons: the Census counts people born abroad, whom SSA’s files leave out, and it records the name people give, which SSA may have recorded under another spelling or as part of a compound name.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 400 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 1,640 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 969 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 481 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 379 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 301 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Carmel born?
The states with the most babies named Carmel are California, New York and Texas, with 54% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 825 | #2,311 | 1.4× |
| New York | 720 | not ranked | 1.0× |
| Texas | 443 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Pennsylvania | 430 | not ranked | 0.8× |
| Ohio | 367 | not ranked | 0.9× |
| Connecticut | 272 | not ranked | 2.4× |
| Louisiana | 111 | not ranked | 0.6× |
| Illinois | 105 | not ranked | 0.2× |
| New Jersey | 94 | not ranked | 0.4× |
| Michigan | 68 | not ranked | 0.2× |
Where Carmel is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Carmel is most over-represented in Connecticut: since 1910 it was given 2.4 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Carmel with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 3 names spelled alike, given to 8,931 babies since 1880, Carmel is the most given (96% of them). In 2025 it was given to 37 of their 37 babies (100%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Carmel
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Carmel and names like it
- Compare Carmel and CarmellBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sCarmel peaked in 1924.
- California’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Carmel since 1910.
- The top names of 1924The year the most babies were named Carmel.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Carmel alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with CMost given first.