Carmen
Girl name · #389 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Carmen? In official American birth records, Carmen has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Carmen ranks #389 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 798 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #380, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,256 girls born in 2025 was named Carmen.
The 144-year story
Carmen first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 2,440 girls were named Carmen — good for #167 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.
Babies named Carmen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carmen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carmen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carmen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Carmen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Carmen is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Carmen is most common in MS (1.2 per 1,000), IA (1 per 1,000), WA (0.9 per 1,000), TN (0.9 per 1,000), NC (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Carmen is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Carmen
Statistically, parents drawn to Carmen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eileen, Catherine, Regina, Gwen, and Ellen.
EileenCatherineReginaGwenEllenGwendolynLeslieDiana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carmen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 798 | #389 |
| 2024 | 751 | #417 |
| 2023 | 712 | #435 |
| 2022 | 696 | #453 |
| 2021 | 716 | #437 |
| 2020 | 708 | #433 |
| 2019 | 743 | #428 |
| 2018 | 733 | #431 |
| 2017 | 776 | #409 |
| 2016 | 830 | #400 |
| 2015 | 859 | #380 |
| 2014 | 855 | #383 |
| 2013 | 881 | #358 |
| 2012 | 943 | #332 |
| 2011 | 919 | #349 |
| 2010 | 1,017 | #314 |
| 2009 | 1,106 | #301 |
| 2008 | 1,312 | #262 |
| 2007 | 1,244 | #275 |
| 2006 | 1,284 | #257 |
| 2005 | 1,227 | #268 |
| 2004 | 1,363 | #239 |
| 2003 | 1,291 | #254 |
| 2002 | 1,020 | #306 |
| 2001 | 1,175 | #267 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carmen?
In official American birth records, the name Carmen first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Carmen a popular girl name?
Carmen ranked #389 among girls in 2025 with 798 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #380.
When was the name Carmen most popular?
Carmen peaked in 1960, when 2,440 American girls received the name (ranked #167 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carmen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,256 newborn American girls was named Carmen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.