Carmel Unisex

Popularity: #922 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CAR-mel //ˈkɑːr.mɛl//

Origin: Hebrew; Irish

Meaning: Hebrew: 'garden'; Irish: 'from the garden'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Carmel has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word "karmel," which means "vineyard" or "orchard." This etymology reflects the lush and fertile landscape associated with Mount Carmel, a significant geographical feature in Israel. The name entered the English language through the Latin "Carmelus," which was used in the context of the biblical Mount Carmel, and subsequently made its way into Old French before being adopted into Middle English.

The name has been associated with both a place and a sense of natural beauty, emphasizing its agricultural connotations. Historically, Mount Carmel is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the context of the prophet Elijah, who is said to have confronted the prophets of Baal there in the 9th century BCE.

The name gained further prominence through the establishment of the Carmelite Order in the 12th century, which was named after this mountain. The order's emphasis on contemplative prayer and connection to nature contributed to the name's spiritual significance.

Additionally, the name Carmel appears in various biblical texts, reinforcing its historical and religious importance. Culturally, the name Carmel has been associated with notions of beauty, tranquility, and divine providence, reflecting the serene landscapes of the region it represents.

The name has also been linked to various saints and religious figures, enhancing its resonance within Christian traditions. In some contexts, diminutive forms such as "Carm" or "Carmie" have emerged, though these are less formal.

Overall, the name Carmel encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance, rooted in its biblical origins and the natural beauty of its namesake.

Famous people named Carmel

In this section, you will find notable people named Carmel. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carmel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Carmel who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Carmel McCourt is a singer best known for her work with the band The Chieftains, and her solo albums.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carmel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ClaraMabelLilaNoraElenaSophie

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carmel. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

CamilleCarlaCarmenCarolineCassandraCeliaCoraCynthia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Carmel was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Carmel has ranked as high as #949 nationally, which occurred in 1924, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Carmel has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Carmel is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carmel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carmel.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 37 11 26
2024 34 6 28
2023 19 7 12
2022 26 6 20
2021 19 6 13
2020 18 5 13
2019 22 8 14
2018 9 0 9
2017 26 6 20
2016 15 7 8
2015 18 0 18
2014 29 8 21
2013 31 9 22
2012 25 7 18
2011 24 7 17
2010 13 0 13
2009 30 10 20
2008 28 8 20
2007 34 7 27
2006 27 8 19
2005 25 6 19
2004 28 8 20
2003 18 0 18
2002 20 5 15
2001 24 0 24
2000 18 0 18
1999 29 5 24
1998 18 5 13
1997 23 6 17
1996 15 0 15
1995 29 0 29
1994 17 0 17
1993 19 0 19
1992 18 0 18
1991 33 6 27
1990 35 5 30
1989 26 0 26
1988 30 0 30
1987 52 10 42
1986 34 7 27
1985 45 8 37
1984 36 7 29
1983 32 0 32
1982 34 5 29
1981 42 7 35
1980 55 6 49
1979 46 0 46
1978 46 6 40
1977 46 6 40
1976 43 0 43
1975 66 7 59
1974 62 8 54
1973 47 0 47
1972 63 8 55
1971 63 0 63
1970 89 6 83
1969 75 9 66
1968 100 6 94
1967 71 0 71
1966 94 8 86
1965 88 5 83
1964 119 9 110
1963 134 10 124
1962 161 6 155
1961 115 7 108
1960 142 11 131
1959 132 10 122
1958 132 17 115
1957 151 8 143
1956 144 8 136
1955 145 9 136
1954 58 8 50
1953 80 11 69
1952 86 14 72
1951 91 16 75
1950 79 12 67
1949 78 18 60
1948 89 19 70
1947 102 14 88
1946 82 18 64
1945 75 17 58
1944 66 18 48
1943 71 20 51
1942 92 27 65
1941 86 18 68
1940 58 13 45
1939 88 23 65
1938 68 16 52
1937 85 22 63
1936 91 21 70
1935 80 17 63
1934 92 15 77
1933 88 17 71
1932 139 32 107
1931 105 18 87
1930 121 27 94
1929 135 26 109
1928 128 28 100
1927 133 20 113
1926 155 24 131
1925 176 37 139
1924 189 36 153
1923 172 35 137
1922 128 28 100
1921 160 39 121
1920 141 26 115
1919 128 23 105
1918 145 49 96
1917 131 39 92
1916 132 32 100
1915 131 23 108
1914 124 30 94
1913 77 23 54
1912 69 13 56
1911 55 6 49
1910 48 8 40
1909 26 0 26
1908 33 6 27
1907 26 0 26
1906 35 5 30
1905 24 0 24
1904 21 0 21
1903 16 0 16
1902 10 0 10
1901 17 0 17
1900 19 0 19
1899 5 0 5
1898 8 0 8
1897 9 0 9
1896 9 0 9
1894 8 0 8
1892 7 0 7
1891 5 0 5
1890 6 0 6
1888 5 0 5

Top States for Carmel (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 10
100%