I heard the name this weekend. Had never really thought of it. I love the sound and the religious reference.
Nameberry’s page says [name]Carmela[/name] is hopelessly linked with a character on The Sopranos, which surprised me since I never watched that show and knew nothing about the character.
What are your opinions? Associations? [name]Do[/name] you agree with Nameberry about the Sopranos?
Also, any middle name ideas? Bonus points if it starts with an M. Super bonus points for a [name]Mar[/name]- name I actually like. (I want to use an [name]Mar[/name]- name for family reasons but never found one I liked.)
I’m not that fond of [name]Carmela[/name], but I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Carmel[/name]. My problem with [name]Carmela[/name] (car-[name]MELL[/name]-uh?) is that it looks like [name]Carmel[/name] at a glance, but then when I notice the “a” at the end, I have to change my pronunciation and stress a syllable that doesn’t seem to come out intuitively. Like, I start to say CAR-muhl, but then I have to stop and go back and un-stress the CAR- syllable. I have a distant cousin named [name]Carmel[/name] (around 30ish), and I like her name primarily for its association with the candy (in my region we pronounce caramel as the two-syllable “CAR-muhl,” exactly like her name). As a [name]Christian[/name] I do also appreciate the Mt [name]Carmel[/name] association, but I have to confess that it’s the nostalgic, sweet candy association that I love about the name. I also love the color of caramel–a warm nature tone. So in short, I don’t HATE [name]Carmela[/name], but I am promoting [name]Carmel[/name], which I would love to see used more! Middle name ideas (for [name]Carmela[/name], as per your request):
I have always heard [name]Carmel[/name] pronounced kar-[name]MELL[/name]. I really don’t like it pronounced the other way, honestly.
My husband does not like this name. He thinks it sounds too Spanish or Italian. Same reason he dislikes [name]Lucia[/name]. He has nothing against Latin names per se but doesn’t think they work on white kids with Scottish surnames. I disagree, I think it’s kind of cool. And some of my fave names - like [name]Dolores[/name] and [name]Pilar[/name] - are Latinate.
My husband is 10 years older than me and, well, a dude. He doesn’t really get the new world of more adventurous naming.
MissUSAY-honaaay! I must say I think [name]Dolores[/name] is a stroke of genius. Serious and religious, but also has a spunky vintage side and the nicknames [name]Dolly[/name] and [name]Dot[/name].
[name]Carmela[/name], yes I think of the Sopranos, and I hear the name with a [name]Jersey[/name] accent. But I’m sure if you named your daughter [name]Carmela[/name] she would make the name her own.
Are you looking for something [name]Marian[/name]?
[name]Luz[/name]
[name]Mercedes[/name] (nn [name]Mercy[/name])
[name]Maris[/name]
[name]Rosaria[/name]
[name]Rocio[/name] ("[name]Ro[/name]-SEE-o" - from “[name]Mary[/name] of the Dew”) nn [name]Rose[/name] or [name]Rosie[/name] of course
I am so glad someone agrees with me about [name]Dolores[/name]. It’s been one of my faves since I was a kid. My husband thinks of it as an old lady name, but maybe I can find a nn he likes. I don’t care for [name]Lola[/name] or [name]Lolita[/name] but there are more options: [name]Dolly[/name], [name]Dori[/name], [name]Lori[/name], [name]Lolo[/name], Dess/[name]Dessie[/name]… And more!
I’m not necessarily looking for something [name]Marian[/name] but something at least marginally Catholic would be good. I like [name]Mercedes[/name] nn [name]Mercy[/name] but it is a bit too automotive.
I’m under the impression that [name]Carmel[/name] is or was a name used in [name]Ireland[/name] a lot - i can think of a few Irish book characters named [name]Carmel[/name]. It might be old-fashioned there now or something (someone who’s actually Irish could chime in on that), but there you go, it’s probably not the wildest thing for a kid with a Scottish surname!
I like [name]Carmel[/name] w/ emphasis on the 2nd syllable (i pronounce the candy with 3 syllables, so i’d never mix it up with the name), and i don’t make the Sopranos connection with [name]Carmela[/name], so i’d say either one is great
I can imagine [name]Carmel[/name] being used in [name]Ireland[/name] a lot, since it’s so Catholic.
Same here, btw - I pronounce the candy with 3 syllables. It’s my mom’s fave and she says KAR-muhl and we always argue about it, ha!
I still think [name]Carmela[/name] is a beautiful name but my husband hates it. Ugh! He hates everything. I made him suggest a name once and he came up with [name]Isabella[/name]. No kidding. He was completely shocked when I told him it was the #2 name in [name]America[/name]. Like I said, he’s 43 so popular names to him are [name]Jennifer[/name] and [name]Katie[/name]. I think he secretly associates [name]Isabella[/name] with his long-time “secret” celebrity crush, [name]Isabella[/name] Rosselini. Which, you know, in a world of dudes obsessed with [name]Megan[/name] [name]Fox[/name] or whoever, [name]Isabella[/name] Rosselini is not that bad.
So far the only names he admits to liking okay are [name]Tabitha[/name] and [name]Miranda[/name], and he tolerates [name]Luna[/name]. He has relegated many of my faves - [name]Dolores[/name], [name]Agatha[/name], [name]Carmela[/name] - as sounding like “old Italian ladies with mustaches.”
