NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Carmela

A feminine Latin name meaning "a planter or pruner of the vineyard".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Carmela is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Carmela popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 11 births.

This profile covers 157 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 156 living people in the UK are called Carmela. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Carmela ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 11 girls were registered as Carmela.
  • About 156 living people in the UK are estimated to have Carmela as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3695

2024

Births in 2024

6

Latest year

Peak year

2009

11 births

Estimated living

156

2026

Meaning

What does Carmela mean?

The name Carmela has its origins in the Italian language and culture. It is derived from the Latin word "carmina," which means "song" or "verse." The name was likely originally used to refer to a woman who had a beautiful singing voice or a talent for poetry.

In the Middle Ages, the name Carmela appeared in various Italian texts and records, particularly in regions such as Sicily and Naples. It was a popular name among Italian families during this time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carmela can be found in the 13th-century Italian text "Liber Monialium" (Book of Nuns), which mentions a nun named Carmela di Messina from the city of Messina in Sicily.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Carmela. In the 16th century, Carmela Valla was an Italian poet and scholar from Naples who was renowned for her works in Latin and Italian.

In the 18th century, Carmela Barone was an Italian painter and engraver from Naples who was known for her religious and mythological works.

In the 19th century, Carmela di Sanseverino was an Italian noblewoman and philanthropist who established several charitable institutions in Naples.

Carmela Cafarelli, born in 1890, was an Italian opera singer who performed at renowned venues such as La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera.

Carmela Soprano, although a fictional character, was a prominent figure in the popular HBO television series "The Sopranos," which aired from 1999 to 2007.

While the name Carmela has its roots in Italian culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Carmela over time

The chart below shows babies named Carmela registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Carmela, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Carmela
036811199620102024

Decades

Carmela by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Carmela was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3404 27 4
2010s #3767 55 9
2000s #3119 54 9
1990s #2703 21 4

Related

Names similar to Carmela

FAQ

Carmela: questions and answers

How popular is the name Carmela in the UK right now?

In 2024, Carmela was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Carmela most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 11 babies registered as Carmela in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Carmela?

A feminine Latin name meaning "a planter or pruner of the vineyard".

How many people are called Carmela in the UK?

A total of 157 babies have been registered as Carmela across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.