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Carmen

Girl name · 572 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Carmen: 572 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 24 births in 2003.

Originating as a Spanish and Italian form of the Hebrew Carmel, meaning “garden” or “orchard,” Carmen also has a folk-etymological link to the Latin *carmen* (“song” or “poem”). The name is best known through Bizet’s fiery operatic heroine *Carmen*, and famous bearers include Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda and actress Carmen Electra. Mount Carmel in Israel shares the same root, while places such as Carmen de Patagones in Argentina are named after the original Marian title. A notable variant is Carmel, more common in English-speaking Scotland, and the name has occasionally been given to boys, though it remains almost exclusively feminine today.