Carmalita
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "little carmen" or "little song".
Name Census estimates that about 336 living Americans carry the first name Carmalita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Carmalita today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Carmalita births was 1973 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Carmalita. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
336
~ 1 in 1,020,102 Americans
Peak year
1973
22 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2006 SSA rank
#17,625
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Carmalita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Carmalita from the 1920s through to the 2000s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 139 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Carmalita by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Carmalita during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Carmalita
The given name Carmalita has its origins in the Spanish language and culture. It is a feminine form of the name Carmelo, derived from the Hebrew word "karmel," meaning "garden" or "orchard." The name is closely associated with Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in northern Israel, which is mentioned in the Bible as a place of fertile lands and abundant orchards.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Carmalita can be found in the 13th century, when it was used by members of the Carmelite religious order. This order of Catholic mendicant friars and nuns took its name from Mount Carmel, where it was founded in the 12th century by a group of hermits.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Carmalita. One of the most famous was Carmalita Alonso (1925-2010), a Spanish dancer and choreographer renowned for her interpretations of flamenco. She was born in Madrid and achieved international acclaim for her performances and contributions to the art form.
Another notable Carmalita was Carmalita Garratón (1909-1989), a Cuban actress and singer who rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s. She appeared in numerous films and television shows, showcasing her talents as a versatile performer.
In the literary world, Carmalita Tropicana was the pen name of Cuban-American writer and performer Alina Roberta Troyano (1953-2003). Her works explored themes of identity, sexuality, and cultural hybridity, and she was celebrated for her groundbreaking performances that challenged societal norms.
The name Carmalita also has religious significance in the Catholic tradition. Saint Carmalita of Valois (1370-1436) was a French princess who renounced her royal status to become a Carmelite nun. She is venerated for her piety and charitable works.
Another notable bearer of the name was Carmalita Mondrego (1895-1975), a Mexican artist known for her vibrant paintings that captured the essence of Mexican culture and traditions. Her works are celebrated for their expressive use of color and depiction of everyday life.
These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Carmalita, which has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields, each leaving their mark on the world through their talents and contributions.
People
Carmalita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Carmalita as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Carmalita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Carmalita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 336 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Carmalita going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,020,102 US residents.
Is Carmalita a common name?
We classify Carmalita as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 415 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Carmalita most popular?
The single biggest year for Carmalita was 1973, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Carmalita is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Carmalita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Carmalita in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.