Total births
137
Unisex name · since 1955
Karmel
137 babies named Karmel in U.S. Social Security records since 1955, with the highest year being 1966. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 137
- total births
- 1955–2021
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 41%
- born in that decade
Karmel is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 137 have been recorded since 1955.
Social Security Administration records show Karmel recorded 137 times among girls since 1955, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1955 to 2021.
- 137 total births
- 1955–2021 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 41% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
137 girls have been named Karmel since 1955, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2021.
- 137
- total births
- 1955–2021
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 41%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Karmel was born in this single decade.
1966
Single peak year
10 babies were named Karmel in 1966 - its busiest year on record.
Karmel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Karmel splits its recorded history at 1969: 47% of all births land in the more recent half, 53% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1960 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1966 peak of 10 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Karmel at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1966
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1955
Karmel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1955–2021
- Peak year (1966)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Karmel popularity over time - boys
21 total births recorded since 2006 (Karmel as boys' name)
Karmel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Karmel's strongest decade.
56 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Karmel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 22
1950s
22 births
- 1960s
1960s
56 births
- 1970s
1970s
32 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 56 births (41% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karmel? ▼
Karmel has been given to 137 babies in the U.S. since 1955, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2021. 10 babies were born in 1966, its single highest year.
When was Karmel most popular? ▼
Karmel was most popular in the 1960s decade with 56 total births. The single peak year was 1966.
Is Karmel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Karmel is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 137 births, and as a boy's name it has 21 births.
How long has the name Karmel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Karmel since 1955 -- 67 years through the most recent 2021 data.
What names are similar to Karmel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karen, Kara, Karla, Karina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Karmel's data
- Karmel's decade-level peak was the 1960s (56 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Karmel
Nearby Names Like Karmel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karmel
Karen Girl
#1251 987,989 births
Kara Girl
#990 101,743 births
Karla Girl
#733 91,586 births
Karina Girl
#772 61,464 births
Kari Girl
#1843 59,696 births
Compare Karmel side by side: Karmel vs Karen Karmel vs Kara Karmel vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1955–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karmel: Baby Name Since 1955 - 137 Births, Peak 1966." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karmel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Karmel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.