Carmi is of Hebrew origin and means "song" or "lyric". It is often used as a unisex name, though it has been more commonly given to males. In the Bible, Carmi was one of the sons of Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob. The name gained some popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century but has since become less common. It is associated with a few notable figures, such as American jazz pianist and composer Carmine Caruso and Israeli poet and diplomat Chaim Nachman Bialik, who used the pen name "Carmi".
"The name Carmi experienced fluctuations in popularity throughout the century, peaking at 7 births in 1925 and again recently with 8 births in 2023. However, it has maintained a steady presence with around five births each decade since 1916."