Carmen vs Mary
Carmen and Marycompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1974, Carmen was ranked #90 and Mary #77 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Carmen was ranked #440 and Mary #112 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Carmen was ranked #718 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Carmen was ranked #476 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Carmen was ranked #776 and Mary #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Carmen was ranked #352 and Mary #518 among girls in Norway.
Carmen and Mary over time
Carmen and Mary appear together in 3 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Carmen in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Carmen in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Longest-running competitions
Carmen and Mary were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 64 years, from 1954 to 2025, ending at #352 and #518.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Carmen #327 in 1964, Mary #1 in 1964.
List by list
Norway · Girls64 shared years, 1954–2025
Carmen held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mary in 43.
Highest recorded here: Carmen #137 in 2006, Mary #84 in 1954.
The order changed in 2000: Carmen moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #339 and #283; by 2000 that had become #278 and #314.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Carmen #352, Mary #518.
Republic of Ireland · Girls32 shared years, 1964–2025
Carmen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 32.
Highest recorded here: Carmen #327 in 1964, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Carmen #718, Mary #112.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Carmen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 29.
Highest recorded here: Carmen #318 in 2004, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Carmen #776, Mary #337.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Carmen | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #352 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Carmen and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Carmen
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #419 among girls in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1972–1974
Highest recorded position: #69 among girls in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1972–1974).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls