Girl name · Hebrew
Carmen
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: garden, orchardCarmen is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "garden, orchard". It is used in Spanish.
- Meaning
- Garden, orchard
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- KAR-men (Spanish)
Meaning and origin of Carmen
As a girl's name, Carmen comes from Hebrew and means "garden, orchard". It is used in Spanish.
In Spanish, say KAR-men. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Carmen on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Carmen on 2 lists.
“Garden, orchard; Hebrew. Revolutionary Serdán of Puebla”
From Mexican girl names, names of famous Mexican women
“Garden, orchard; Hebrew. From Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Say KAR-men”
From Spanish girl names, classic female Spanish names
How popular is Carmen?
- US rank in 2025
- #389
- 798 babies, 496 per million girls
- Best rank
- #141 in 1968
- Most babies: 2,440 in 1960
- Babies since 1881
- At least 142,795
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 107 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 189 per million |
| 1900s | 355 per million |
| 1910s | 503 per million |
| 1920s | 768 per million |
| 1930s | 804 per million |
| 1940s | 738 per million |
| 1950s | 985 per million |
| 1960s | 1,253 per million |
| 1970s | 1,157 per million |
| 1980s | 735 per million |
| 1990s | 620 per million |
| 2000s | 661 per million |
| 2010s | 489 per million |
| 2020s | 450 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #400 | #409 | #431 | #428 | #433 | #437 | #453 | #435 | #417 | #389 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Carmen
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- CarmeGarden, orchard (Hebrew, girl)
- CarmelGarden (Hebrew, girl)
- CarmelaGarden (Hebrew, girl)
Names spelled like Carmen
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- CarwenBlessed love (Welsh, girl)
- CerenGazelle (Turkish, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- RoseFragrant garden flower (Latin, girl)
- CarmineGarden (Hebrew, boy)
- GenetParadise, garden (Amharic, girl)
- GolshanRose garden (Persian, girl)
- GolzarGarden full of flowers (Persian, girl)
- GulzarRose garden (Persian, unisex)
- JannahParadise, garden (Arabic, girl)
- LeightonTown with a leek garden (Old English, unisex)
- RawdaMeadow, garden (Arabic, girl)
- RosieFragrant garden flower (Latin, girl)
Middle names for Carmen
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- AnneFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- IsabelGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- IsabellaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- JudithWoman of judea (Hebrew, girl)
- LiaItalian, Portuguese and Greek form of Leah (Hebrew, girl)
- SaraPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- AnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- ArielLion of God (Hebrew, unisex)
- ElisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
Carmen: common questions
What does the name Carmen mean?
Carmen comes from Hebrew and means "garden, orchard".
Is Carmen a boy or girl name?
Carmen is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 798 girls and 104 boys in the US were named Carmen, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Carmen come from?
Carmen comes from Hebrew and means "garden, orchard". Today it is used in Spanish.
How do you pronounce Carmen?
In Spanish, say KAR-men. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Carmen?
Carmen ranked #389 in the US in 2025, with 798 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Carmen?
Forms of Carmen with the same meaning and origin include Carme (Spanish), Carmel (Hebrew) and Carmela (Italian).
What middle names go with Carmen?
Middle names that flow well with Carmen include Aoife, Bess, Eliza, Holly and Joan. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.