Carmel
Girl name · #4996 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Carmel? In official American birth records, Carmel has been tracked continuously since 1888, giving it 137 years of documented American history.
Carmel is currently the #4996 girl name in the United States — 26 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #6721, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 girls born in 2025 was named Carmel.
The 137-year story
Carmel first appears in the Social Security records in 1888, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1962, when 155 girls were named Carmel — good for #846 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 Carmel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carmel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carmel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carmel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Carmel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Carmel is most common
State-level data for Carmel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Carmel
Statistically, parents drawn to Carmel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cheryl, Barbie, Candy, Suzie, and Corinna.
CherylBarbieCandySuzieCorinnaUrsulaColleenCherry
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carmel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4987 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4772 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8486 |
| 2022 | 20 | #5984 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8024 |
| 2020 | 13 | #7969 |
| 2019 | 14 | #7716 |
| 2018 | 9 | #10545 |
| 2017 | 20 | #6044 |
| 2016 | 8 | #11781 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6721 |
| 2014 | 21 | #5993 |
| 2013 | 22 | #5834 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6872 |
| 2011 | 17 | #7118 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8701 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6544 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6559 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5230 |
| 2006 | 19 | #6592 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6245 |
| 2004 | 20 | #5969 |
| 2003 | 18 | #6299 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7045 |
| 2001 | 24 | #4834 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carmel?
In official American birth records, the name Carmel first appeared in 1888 (over 137 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Carmel a popular girl name?
Carmel ranked #4996 among girls in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6721.
When was the name Carmel most popular?
Carmel peaked in 1962, when 155 American girls received the name (ranked #846 that year). Since 1962 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carmel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American girls was named Carmel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.