Carmen
Carmen is given to both girls and boys: 798 girls and 104 boys were given it in 2025 (#389 among girls’ names and #1,624 among boys’, #712 among all names counting both); 159,756 Americans have been recorded with it since 1881 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 115,000 Americans named Carmen and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (72% of everyone recorded); the median is 51 years old and half are between 29 and 65.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Carmen by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Carmen mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Carmen is “a female given name from Spanish”
Also “a male given name from Italian.”
From Spanish Carmen, cognate with English Carmel. Made famous outside Spain by the opera Carmen (1875) by Georges Bizet.
/ˈkɑː(ɹ)mən/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Carmen?
#389 among girls’ names, 2025
Carmen fell from #382 in 2015 to #389 in 2025 among girls’ names, although its share of girls born rose from 0.48 to 0.50 per 1,000.
2,622 babies in 1961, the peak
Carmen peaked in 1961, when 2,622 babies were given it (2,401 girls, #169 among girls’ names). The 902 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 34% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 798 | #389 | 104 | #1,624 |
| 2024 | 751 | #417 | 83 | #1,906 |
| 2023 | 712 | #435 | 51 | #2,585 |
| 2022 | 696 | #453 | 30 | #3,701 |
| 2021 | 716 | #437 | 26 | #4,029 |
| 2020 | 708 | #433 | 20 | #4,724 |
| 2019 | 743 | #428 | 29 | #3,729 |
| 2018 | 733 | #431 | 18 | #5,136 |
| 2017 | 776 | #409 | 17 | #5,322 |
| 2016 | 830 | #400 | 32 | #3,454 |
Every recorded year (145)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 859 | #382 | 23 | #4,311 |
| 2014 | 855 | #383 | 23 | #4,278 |
| 2013 | 881 | #358 | 26 | #3,876 |
| 2012 | 943 | #332 | 28 | #3,726 |
| 2011 | 919 | #349 | 38 | #3,003 |
| 2010 | 1,017 | #314 | 37 | #3,080 |
| 2009 | 1,106 | #301 | 26 | #3,930 |
| 2008 | 1,312 | #262 | 42 | #2,834 |
| 2007 | 1,244 | #275 | 45 | #2,688 |
| 2006 | 1,284 | #257 | 47 | #2,544 |
| 2005 | 1,227 | #268 | 54 | #2,207 |
| 2004 | 1,363 | #239 | 36 | #2,847 |
| 2003 | 1,291 | #254 | 47 | #2,275 |
| 2002 | 1,020 | #306 | 63 | #1,817 |
| 2001 | 1,175 | #267 | 38 | #2,525 |
| 2000 | 1,195 | #270 | 66 | #1,710 |
| 1999 | 1,139 | #276 | 49 | #1,965 |
| 1998 | 1,121 | #278 | 67 | #1,571 |
| 1997 | 1,012 | #284 | 48 | #1,906 |
| 1996 | 869 | #322 | 62 | #1,584 |
| 1995 | 1,004 | #272 | 63 | #1,506 |
| 1994 | 1,167 | #239 | 68 | #1,418 |
| 1993 | 1,092 | #254 | 68 | #1,403 |
| 1992 | 1,205 | #228 | 72 | #1,324 |
| 1991 | 1,235 | #230 | 67 | #1,382 |
| 1990 | 1,314 | #218 | 92 | #1,114 |
| 1989 | 1,187 | #231 | 67 | #1,332 |
| 1988 | 1,170 | #224 | 81 | #1,107 |
| 1987 | 1,151 | #234 | 85 | #1,029 |
| 1986 | 1,199 | #221 | 78 | #1,055 |
| 1985 | 1,168 | #224 | 77 | #1,050 |
| 1984 | 1,299 | #204 | 76 | #1,024 |
| 1983 | 1,228 | #206 | 71 | #1,050 |
| 1982 | 1,315 | #207 | 70 | #1,088 |
| 1981 | 1,446 | #188 | 107 | #851 |
| 1980 | 1,461 | #183 | 100 | #895 |
| 1979 | 1,609 | #172 | 77 | #1,012 |
| 1978 | 1,428 | #182 | 105 | #836 |
| 1977 | 1,630 | #166 | 95 | #869 |
| 1976 | 1,616 | #159 | 95 | #853 |
| 1975 | 1,775 | #151 | 114 | #775 |
| 1974 | 1,749 | #157 | 91 | #841 |
| 1973 | 1,757 | #156 | 106 | #773 |
| 1972 | 1,968 | #144 | 123 | #720 |
| 1971 | 2,139 | #153 | 126 | #734 |
| 1970 | 2,202 | #152 | 127 | #728 |
| 1969 | 2,200 | #149 | 142 | #662 |
| 1968 | 2,270 | #141 | 153 | #615 |
| 1967 | 2,173 | #157 | 133 | #647 |
| 1966 | 2,122 | #163 | 135 | #635 |
| 1965 | 2,148 | #165 | 159 | #605 |
| 1964 | 2,376 | #164 | 177 | #594 |
| 1963 | 2,347 | #168 | 169 | #603 |
| 1962 | 2,411 | #170 | 182 | #580 |
| 1961 | 2,401 | #169 | 221 | #536 |
| 1960 | 2,440 | #167 | 176 | #586 |
| 1959 | 2,215 | #174 | 232 | #516 |
| 1958 | 2,120 | #177 | 224 | #516 |
| 1957 | 2,218 | #172 | 237 | #502 |
| 1956 | 2,207 | #166 | 210 | #519 |
| 1955 | 2,048 | #169 | 194 | #525 |
| 1954 | 1,785 | #184 | 214 | #495 |
| 1953 | 1,725 | #185 | 220 | #470 |
| 1952 | 1,608 | #184 | 202 | #495 |
| 1951 | 1,567 | #184 | 201 | #476 |
| 1950 | 1,460 | #186 | 199 | #473 |
| 1949 | 1,455 | #189 | 224 | #445 |
| 1948 | 1,309 | #204 | 235 | #436 |
| 1947 | 1,237 | #212 | 234 | #438 |
| 1946 | 1,071 | #218 | 213 | #434 |
| 1945 | 872 | #218 | 170 | #455 |
| 1944 | 942 | #210 | 201 | #431 |
| 1943 | 1,036 | #204 | 229 | #408 |
| 1942 | 991 | #206 | 264 | #375 |
| 1941 | 956 | #195 | 231 | #380 |
| 1940 | 823 | #211 | 219 | #386 |
| 1939 | 776 | #215 | 201 | #403 |
| 1938 | 793 | #213 | 203 | #399 |
| 1937 | 775 | #216 | 215 | #377 |
| 1936 | 847 | #199 | 208 | #379 |
| 1935 | 830 | #206 | 211 | #373 |
| 1934 | 852 | #208 | 224 | #364 |
| 1933 | 832 | #208 | 266 | #330 |
| 1932 | 886 | #205 | 235 | #363 |
| 1931 | 934 | #196 | 246 | #352 |
| 1930 | 1,044 | #184 | 274 | #336 |
| 1929 | 1,066 | #187 | 270 | #340 |
| 1928 | 1,017 | #199 | 329 | #307 |
| 1927 | 1,019 | #199 | 327 | #318 |
| 1926 | 956 | #202 | 322 | #316 |
| 1925 | 939 | #209 | 335 | #311 |
| 1924 | 942 | #207 | 344 | #308 |
| 1923 | 925 | #209 | 303 | #334 |
| 1922 | 783 | #231 | 317 | #323 |
| 1921 | 776 | #234 | 316 | #334 |
| 1920 | 757 | #237 | 292 | #342 |
| 1919 | 632 | #255 | 256 | #360 |
| 1918 | 637 | #254 | 273 | #347 |
| 1917 | 559 | #264 | 258 | #346 |
| 1916 | 508 | #270 | 276 | #313 |
| 1915 | 483 | #267 | 211 | #370 |
| 1914 | 374 | #269 | 173 | #357 |
| 1913 | 300 | #269 | 124 | #378 |
| 1912 | 231 | #297 | 95 | #393 |
| 1911 | 199 | #273 | 56 | #373 |
| 1910 | 181 | #289 | 41 | #421 |
| 1909 | 157 | #287 | 26 | #505 |
| 1908 | 122 | #321 | 12 | #786 |
| 1907 | 125 | #311 | 23 | #487 |
| 1906 | 135 | #286 | 20 | #507 |
| 1905 | 89 | #354 | 12 | #704 |
| 1904 | 80 | #366 | 12 | #691 |
| 1903 | 90 | #327 | 11 | #705 |
| 1902 | 75 | #368 | 5 | #1,170 |
| 1901 | 76 | #349 | 12 | #606 |
| 1900 | 91 | #352 | 10 | #848 |
| 1899 | 38 | #476 | 10 | #668 |
| 1898 | 63 | #390 | 8 | #815 |
| 1897 | 53 | #397 | 5 | #1,084 |
| 1896 | 48 | #417 | 8 | #834 |
| 1895 | 29 | #548 | 5 | #1,101 |
| 1894 | 49 | #399 | 5 | #1,103 |
| 1893 | 39 | #433 | under 5 | |
| 1892 | 41 | #415 | under 5 | |
| 1891 | 31 | #459 | under 5 | |
| 1890 | 28 | #492 | under 5 | |
| 1889 | 27 | #476 | under 5 | |
| 1888 | 26 | #487 | under 5 | |
| 1887 | 12 | #666 | under 5 | |
| 1886 | 16 | #557 | under 5 | |
| 1885 | 24 | #430 | under 5 | |
| 1884 | 14 | #561 | under 5 | |
| 1883 | 8 | #704 | under 5 | |
| 1882 | 7 | #752 | under 5 | |
| 1881 | 7 | #690 | 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 Carmen a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 159,756 Americans recorded as Carmen, 89% are girls and 11% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Carmen: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Carmen, and how old are they?
115,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 72% of the 159,756 Americans ever recorded as Carmen. The median Carmen alive today is 51 years old; half are between 29 and 65.
The 2020 Census counted 237,758 people named Carmen (228,731 women and girls, 9,027 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 118,599 born in the U.S. The Census count is 2.0 times 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 | 5,520 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 31,100 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 29,600 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 19,700 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 18,900 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 10,500 |
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 Carmen born?
The states with the most babies named Carmen are California, New York and Texas, with 40% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 21,979 | #407 | 1.5× |
| New York | 20,599 | #485 | 1.6× |
| Texas | 18,184 | #347 | 1.6× |
| Illinois | 7,830 | #472 | 1.0× |
| Pennsylvania | 7,452 | #355 | 0.8× |
| New Jersey | 6,062 | #729 | 1.3× |
| Ohio | 5,241 | #282 | 0.7× |
| Michigan | 4,436 | #354 | 0.7× |
| Florida | 4,425 | #399 | 0.9× |
| Arizona | 4,138 | #523 | 2.2× |
Where Carmen is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Carmen is most over-represented in New Mexico: since 1910 it was given 2.5 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 Carmen 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 8 names spelled alike, given to 178,597 babies since 1880, Carmen is the most given (89% of them). In 2025 it was given to 902 of their 1,115 babies (81%), 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 Carmen
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 Carmen and names like it
- Compare Carmen and KarmenBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1960sCarmen peaked in 1961.
- California’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Carmen since 1910.
- Spanish namesWiktionary’s origin for Carmen: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1961The year the most babies were named Carmen.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Carmen alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with CMost given first.