Carmen first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Carmen has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Carmen

A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "song" or "poem".

Popularity of Carmen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Carmen is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 95% of people named Carmen being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 709 female babies and 51 male babies born with the name Carmen.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 51 baby boys were named Carmen in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 51 709
2022 30 690
2021 26 713
2020 20 705
2019 29 741
2018 18 731
2017 17 776
2016 32 828
2015 23 859
2014 23 855
2013 26 880
2012 28 940
2011 38 918
2010 37 1,016
2009 26 1,106
2008 42 1,312
2007 45 1,244
2006 47 1,284
2005 54 1,227
2004 36 1,363
2003 47 1,291
2002 63 1,019
2001 38 1,175
2000 66 1,195
1999 49 1,139
1998 67 1,121
1997 48 1,012
1996 62 869
1995 63 1,004
1994 68 1,167
1993 68 1,092
1992 72 1,203
1991 67 1,236
1990 92 1,314
1989 67 1,187
1988 81 1,170
1987 85 1,151
1986 78 1,199
1985 77 1,169
1984 76 1,299
1983 71 1,228
1982 70 1,314
1981 107 1,449
1980 100 1,460
1979 77 1,610
1978 105 1,428
1977 95 1,630
1976 95 1,616
1975 114 1,776
1974 91 1,749

The history of the first name Carmen

The given name Carmen is of Latin origin, derived from the word "carmen" which means "song" or "poem" in Latin. It is believed to have originated in ancient Rome during the classical period.

Carmen was a relatively common name among Roman women, particularly those associated with music, poetry, or the arts. It was also sometimes used as a surname or cognomen in ancient Rome.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carmen can be found in the works of the Roman poet Ovid, who lived from 43 BC to 17 AD. He mentions a character named Carmen in his famous work "Metamorphoses".

In the Middle Ages, the name Carmen gained popularity among Christians, as it was associated with religious hymns and chants. Several notable figures from this period bore the name, such as Carmen of Arles, a Benedictine abbess who lived in the 8th century.

During the Renaissance, the name Carmen became more widespread across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Carmen Sylva, the pen name of Elisabeth of Wied, a German princess who was also a prolific writer and poet (1843-1916).

In the 19th century, the name Carmen gained further recognition due to the famous novella "Carmen" by French writer Prosper Mérimée (1845). The titular character, a beautiful and alluring gypsy woman, became an iconic figure in literature and opera.

Another notable figure with the name Carmen was Carmen Laforet, a Spanish novelist who won the prestigious Nadal Prize in 1945 for her novel "Nada". She was born in 1921 and her works explored themes of existentialism and the struggle for identity.

Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress, was also a famous bearer of this name. Known for her iconic fruit hat and vibrant performances, she popularized Brazilian culture on the international stage and starred in several Hollywood films during the 1940s and 1950s (1909-1955).

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Carmen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Carmen, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Carmen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 14, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/carmen-meaning-and-history/.

"Carmen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/carmen-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 14 November, 2024

Carmen first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/carmen-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.