Carmel
From Hebrew כַּרְמֶל (karmél, “vineyard of El/God”).
Every Carmel since 1888 — 8,609 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carmel
Carmel is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,004 in 2025 with 26 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 8,609 American babies have been named Carmel — about 84% girls and 16% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1924, when 189 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Carmel stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carmel 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 | 26 | #5,004 | 11 | #7,280 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4,793 | 6 | #11,176 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8,584 | 7 | #9,921 |
| 2022 | 20 | #6,036 | 6 | #11,098 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,118 | 6 | #11,024 |
| 2020 | 13 | #8,064 | 5 | #12,362 |
| 2019 | 14 | #7,820 | 8 | #9,035 |
| 2018 | 9 | #10,739 | — | — |
| 2017 | 20 | #6,094 | 6 | #11,003 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,004 | 7 | #9,840 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6,777 | — | — |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,029 | 8 | #8,908 |
| 2013 | 22 | #5,856 | 9 | #8,223 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,930 | 7 | #9,874 |
| 2011 | 17 | #7,183 | 7 | #9,783 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8,823 | — | — |
| 2009 | 20 | #6,611 | 10 | #7,777 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6,607 | 8 | #9,133 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5,263 | 7 | #9,929 |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,635 | 8 | #8,850 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6,319 | 6 | #10,318 |
| 2004 | 20 | #6,017 | 8 | #8,255 |
| 2003 | 18 | #6,361 | — | — |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,119 | 5 | #10,920 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4,863 | — | — |
| 2000 | 18 | #5,987 | — | — |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,681 | — | — |
| 1990 | 30 | #3,535 | 5 | #8,298 |
| 1985 | 37 | #2,603 | 8 | #4,760 |
| 1980 | 49 | #2,099 | 6 | #5,615 |
| 1975 | 59 | #1,642 | 7 | #4,381 |
| 1970 | 83 | #1,293 | 6 | #4,304 |
| 1965 | 83 | #1,177 | 5 | #3,987 |
| 1960 | 131 | #932 | 11 | #2,555 |
| 1955 | 136 | #830 | 9 | #2,797 |
| 1950 | 67 | #1,124 | 12 | #2,230 |
| 1945 | 58 | #1,016 | 17 | #1,636 |
| 1940 | 45 | #1,081 | 13 | #1,996 |
| 1935 | 63 | #866 | 17 | #1,718 |
| 1930 | 94 | #717 | 27 | #1,401 |
| 1925 | 139 | #623 | 37 | #1,166 |
| 1920 | 115 | #676 | 26 | #1,462 |
| 1915 | 108 | #632 | 23 | #1,417 |
| 1910 | 40 | #673 | 8 | #1,217 |
| 1905 | 24 | #737 | — | — |
| 1900 | 19 | #864 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | 6 | #1,235 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Carmel
- Carmel Busuttil Soccer player · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carmel mean?
From Hebrew כַּרְמֶל (karmél, “vineyard of El/God”).
How popular is the name Carmel in 2025?
Carmel ranked #5,004 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 26 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carmel?
8,609 babies have been named Carmel in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carmel most popular?
Carmel peaked in 1924, when 189 newborns received the name.
Is Carmel a boy or girl name?
Carmel is used for both: about 84% of babies named Carmel have been girls and 16% boys.
Is the name Carmel rising or falling?
Carmel is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Carmel?
Well-known people named Carmel include Carmel Busuttil (soccer player).