Declining since 1990, #8,860 for girls today.
Popularity of Carmina since 1914
Babies named Carmina per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1994, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Carmina's real moment was 1976.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 22 |
| 1920s | 72 |
| 1930s | 36 |
| 1940s | 10 |
| 1950s | 66 |
| 1960s | 78 |
| 1970s | 188 |
| 1980s | 196 |
| 1990s | 229 |
| 2000s | 166 |
| 2010s | 183 |
| 2020s | 77 |
Meaning & origin
Carmina entered U.S. records in 1914 and reached its highest popularity in 1976, when it ranked 8,860 with 1 in 146,115 newborns given the name. Since 1990, its usage has steadily declined, reflecting a broader shift away from traditional Latin-inflected names. Despite its rarity, Carmina carries a melodic, lyrical quality that connects it to the Latin word for song, making it an intriguing choice for parents seeking a name with musical resonance.
Carmina is generally considered a feminine derivative of the Roman family name Carminius, though it is often associated with Latin 'carmen' (song, poem, prophecy), a word that also gave rise to the name Carmen. The name gained some popularity through Christian veneration of the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Spanish 'Carmen'), though Carmina itself is a distinct form. It has seen occasional use in Spanish- and Italian-speaking cultures as a variant of Carmen or as an independent name.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Carma, Mina, Cari
Sibling names for Carmina
Names that share Carmina's style, for a brother or sister.
