Declining since 2006, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Carma since 1897
Babies named Carma per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1961, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Carma's real moment was 1935.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 31 |
| 1910s | 178 |
| 1920s | 423 |
| 1930s | 612 |
| 1940s | 567 |
| 1950s | 623 |
| 1960s | 546 |
| 1970s | 353 |
| 1980s | 157 |
| 1990s | 75 |
| 2000s | 255 |
| 2010s | 275 |
| 2020s | 69 |
Meaning & origin
Carma is a name that saw its peak usage in the 1930s, specifically in 1935 when it was most popular. Since 2006, its usage has been declining. As of 2025, it ranks 10,107th in the United States, with only about 1 in 178,585 newborns receiving the name. The first recorded use of Carma in the Social Security data dates back to 1897. Despite its rarity today, the name has crossover appeal as a short form of Carmel or Carmela, linking it to the biblical Mount Carmel. Its sound also invites comparison with the unrelated but visually similar word 'karma.'
Carma is a diminutive of Carmel or Carmela, names derived from the Hebrew 'Karmel' meaning 'garden' or 'orchard', referring to the fertile Mount Carmel in Israel. The name was used in English-speaking countries as a nickname or variant, especially in the early 20th century. Its popularity peaked in the 1930s in the United States.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Carma
Names that share Carma's style, for a brother or sister.
