Carmela
Girl name · #1220 in 2025 · Uniqueness 53/100
Carmela is currently the #1220 girl name in the United States — 186 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1831, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,677 girls born in 2025 was named Carmela.
Babies named Carmela per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 143-year story
Carmela first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1923, when 586 girls were named Carmela — good for #266 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carmela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carmela in class?
Carmela scores 53 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Carmela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carmela is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Carmelas were NY (32), NJ (23), CA (19), PA (15), OH (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Carmela
Statistically, parents drawn to Carmela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carmella, Manuela, Marcella, Lela, and Rosella.
CarmellaManuelaMarcellaLelaRosellaViolaLeonoraOdessa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carmela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 186 | #1219 |
| 2024 | 208 | #1156 |
| 2023 | 153 | #1455 |
| 2022 | 131 | #1612 |
| 2021 | 135 | #1554 |
| 2020 | 138 | #1533 |
| 2019 | 149 | #1474 |
| 2018 | 115 | #1774 |
| 2017 | 114 | #1815 |
| 2016 | 117 | #1775 |
| 2015 | 113 | #1831 |
| 2014 | 124 | #1692 |
| 2013 | 117 | #1754 |
| 2012 | 87 | #2160 |
| 2011 | 101 | #1953 |
| 2010 | 94 | #2093 |
| 2009 | 115 | #1848 |
| 2008 | 113 | #1880 |
| 2007 | 119 | #1792 |
| 2006 | 124 | #1691 |
| 2005 | 124 | #1624 |
| 2004 | 110 | #1746 |
| 2003 | 98 | #1874 |
| 2002 | 78 | #2142 |
| 2001 | 68 | #2331 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Carmela a popular girl name?
Carmela ranked #1220 among girls in 2025 with 186 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1831.
When was the name Carmela most popular?
Carmela peaked in 1923, when 586 American girls received the name (ranked #266 that year). Since 1923 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carmela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,677 newborn American girls was named Carmela. It scores 53/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.