Charmian
Diminutive form of Ancient Greek χάρμα (khárma, “joy”).
Every Charmian since 1914 — 473 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Charmian
Charmian is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1914, 473 American babies have been named Charmian. Its peak came in 1970, when 18 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Charmian stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Charmian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,274 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,587 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,448 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,956 |
| 1950 | 11 | #3,252 |
| 1945 | 11 | #2,767 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,466 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,662 |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,806 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,032 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Charmian
- Charmian Carr Actor · 1942–2016
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Charmian mean?
Diminutive form of Ancient Greek χάρμα (khárma, “joy”).
How popular is the name Charmian in 2025?
Charmian did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Charmian?
473 babies have been named Charmian in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Charmian most popular?
Charmian peaked in 1970, when 18 newborns received the name.
Is Charmian a boy or girl name?
Charmian is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Charmian rising or falling?
Charmian has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Charmian?
Well-known people named Charmian include Charmian Carr (actor).