Carmela
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Carmela is a Hebrew name meaning “garden”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.99% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Carmela
Carmela is a name of Hebrew origin, deriving from the term karmel, which signifies a garden or an orchard. In Biblical geography, Mount Carmel is a prominent site historically associated with lush vegetation and fertility. The name was later adopted into Spanish and Italian naming conventions, often linked to the religious designation Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Its etymological evolution highlights the intersection of physical topography and religious symbolism within Mediterranean cultures.
Meaning Comments
- Raven_ogrady: As far as I could find, Karmel is not a garden in Hebrew as it is written on your site. The first three letters in Hebrew (C R M), if pronounced differently (that is, using different vowels under the letters) means Vineyard. L means to H is often wrtitten to refer to GOD So Carmela could be a vineyard for/to GOD It is a common female name especially amongst the Yemenite and Iraqi Jews.
- Dancechick69: Carmela is the feminine of Carmel (Hebrew). Also, when divided up into 3 - in Hebrew means it means "vineyard for G-D".
- Sl1se_machin: Nice.
Gender Usage of the Name Carmela
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Carmela is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.99% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Carmela
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Carmela is listed under Common Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 33K births |
| United Kingdom | Uncommon | 1 in every 326K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 49K births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 329K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Carmela ranked #2,468 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #1,744 in 2024 — a drop of 724 places. Carmela shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #195 in 1972. Its lowest recorded position was #4,468 in 2001. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name rose 91 places (from #2,559 to #2,468).
Name StyleMethodology
Carmela is classified as Timeless Girl Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 187 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 138 births per year recently.Explain More
Although the name also meets the Vintage criteria, the Timeless pattern is more strongly supported: activity across 100% of recorded years, with 187 lifetime average births per year and 138 recently. The competing Vintage pattern is supported by a decline to 5% of the historical peak followed by a 1.5x recent recovery, giving the selected Style an evidence margin of 15 percentage points.
Characteristics of the Name Carmela
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 3 syllables — Three-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 7 letters — Long Girl Names
- Starts with
- C — Girl Names Starting with C
- Ends with
- a — Girl Names Ending in “a”
Name AestheticMethodology
Carmela employs a three-syllable, vowel-heavy structure that creates a flowing and melodic phonetic profile. Its historical connection to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in religious iconography reinforces an Elegant & Timeless status. The name feels sophisticated while maintaining a distinct, rhythmic musicality.
Middle Names For Carmela
Middle names used with CarmelaMethodology
Carmela is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Carmela Marie · Carmela Ann · Carmela Maria · Carmela Rose · Carmela TheresaView all 95 girl middle names.
- Total 118 middle names used with Carmela
- 4 boy middle names used with Carmela
- 15 unisex middle names used with Carmela
Middle name suggestions for CarmelaMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Carmela is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “m”.
Examples: Carmela Moore · Carmela Mills · Carmela Marsh · Carmela Marks · Carmela Moose. View all 101 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Carmela
Sound Like Carmela Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Carmel · Carmella · Carmelle · View all 16 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Karen · Kimberly · Carol · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Carmela Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Carla · Layla · Gabriella · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Patricia · Rebecca · Amanda · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Carmela”
Dictionary Meaning of "Carmela"Methodology
a diminutive of the female given name Carmen, from Spanish
More Info
How to Spell Carmela in ASL
- C
- a
- r
- m
- e
- l
- a
Comments on the name Carmela
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 12 comments
Arcane_fire2
A nickname can be used: Carmelina or Melina. :-)
Mage1402hunt
The name Carmela was given to 87 baby girls born in the US in 2012.
Extreme_1269
Well first off Carmela is not pronounced CAR-ME-LA, it is pronounced Car-mel-la.
Iskillzlawl
Actually, Carmela is pronounced CAR-ME-LA, but Carmella is pronounced CAR-MEL-LA.
Ultr4_0wn3d
Carmela Soprano, played by Edie Falco.