Fun Facts About the Name Karen
- An established favorite: Karen held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 49 consecutive years, from 1938 through 1986.
- More than 990 thousand babies named Karen: U.S. records list 990,770 babies given the name Karen from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,784 boys received the name Karen - about 1 boy for every 355 girls.
What Does the Name Karen Mean?
Karen is a Scandinavian short form of Katherine, and the meaning usually given for it - "pure" - belongs to that older name, not to any word in Danish or another Scandinavian language. Katherine descends from the Greek Aikaterine, a name of uncertain origin. The familiar explanation ties it to the Greek katharos, meaning "pure," but that connection appears to be an association made by sound and repeated by tradition rather than a demonstrated derivation. Some scholars have instead proposed a link to the goddess Hekate. No single explanation has been established, so the meaning "pure" is best understood as the customary interpretation rather than a settled fact.
Karen Name History & Origins
Karen is one of several northern European shortenings of Katherine, the group that also includes Karin. It came to be used as an independent given name in Denmark and Norway and was already a familiar name there in the 19th century. The Danish author Karen Blixen (1885 - 1962), who wrote Out of Africa under the pen name Isak Dinesen, is a well-known bearer from that period.
Scandinavian immigration carried the name to North America and other English-speaking countries, where it became a common English given name during the 20th century. As an English name it has no root or meaning of its own; it keeps the sense attached to Katherine.
Since the late 2010s, "Karen" has also been used in English slang, especially online, as a label for a woman perceived as entitled or demanding, often shown asking to speak to a manager. This is a recent development in English usage and is unrelated to the name's Scandinavian origin.
The Armenian male name Կարեն is a separate name with a different background that happens to share the spelling.
How Popular is the Name Karen?
Karen remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1938 to 1986. Its highest annual birth count was in 1957, and people born that year turn 69 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,281 | 175 | 0.0109% |
| 2024 | #1,263 | 184 | 0.0114% |
| 2023 | #1,089 | 226 | 0.0141% |
| 2022 | #1,217 | 199 | 0.0121% |
| 2021 | #1,088 | 229 | 0.0140% |
| 2020 | #823 | 331 | 0.0205% |
| 2019 | #661 | 439 | 0.0262% |
| 2018 | #636 | 470 | 0.0276% |
| 2017 | #556 | 554 | 0.0321% |
| 2016 | #508 | 617 | 0.0348% |
| 2015 | #505 | 627 | 0.0351% |
| 2014 | #494 | 633 | 0.0354% |
| 2013 | #416 | 730 | 0.0416% |
| 2012 | #354 | 896 | 0.0509% |
| 2011 | #287 | 1,104 | 0.0628% |
| 2010 | #249 | 1,287 | 0.0724% |
| 2009 | #231 | 1,433 | 0.0780% |
| 2008 | #187 | 1,816 | 0.0960% |
| 2007 | #165 | 2,172 | 0.1130% |
| 2006 | #173 | 2,030 | 0.1068% |
| 2005 | #164 | 2,065 | 0.1118% |
| 2004 | #155 | 2,168 | 0.1181% |
| 2003 | #141 | 2,331 | 0.1276% |
| 2002 | #150 | 2,224 | 0.1238% |
| 2001 | #148 | 2,195 | 0.1219% |
| 2000 | #153 | 2,174 | 0.1197% |
| 1999 | #149 | 2,172 | 0.1225% |
| 1998 | #152 | 2,073 | 0.1173% |
| 1997 | #142 | 2,225 | 0.1278% |
| 1996 | #133 | 2,401 | 0.1370% |
| 1995 | #142 | 2,269 | 0.1290% |
| 1994 | #128 | 2,487 | 0.1393% |
| 1993 | #116 | 2,807 | 0.1552% |
| 1992 | #121 | 2,766 | 0.1500% |
| 1991 | #122 | 2,600 | 0.1387% |
| 1990 | #120 | 2,715 | 0.1430% |
| 1989 | #110 | 2,759 | 0.1497% |
| 1988 | #111 | 2,567 | 0.1441% |
| 1987 | #107 | 2,580 | 0.1484% |
| 1986 | #100 | 2,801 | 0.1633% |
| 1985 | #87 | 3,138 | 0.1824% |
| 1984 | #82 | 3,537 | 0.2101% |
| 1983 | #77 | 3,788 | 0.2267% |
| 1982 | #68 | 4,153 | 0.2453% |
| 1981 | #64 | 4,539 | 0.2721% |
| 1980 | #54 | 5,055 | 0.3044% |
| 1979 | #46 | 5,599 | 0.3488% |
| 1978 | #39 | 6,371 | 0.4159% |
| 1977 | #32 | 7,441 | 0.4853% |
| 1976 | #31 | 7,505 | 0.5122% |
| 1975 | #27 | 8,168 | 0.5602% |
| 1974 | #26 | 8,644 | 0.5890% |
| 1973 | #23 | 9,352 | 0.6413% |
| 1972 | #21 | 11,180 | 0.7349% |
| 1971 | #15 | 14,213 | 0.8542% |
| 1970 | #12 | 16,700 | 0.9553% |
| 1969 | #13 | 17,635 | 1.0453% |
| 1968 | #9 | 19,561 | 1.1925% |
| 1967 | #6 | 21,540 | 1.3046% |
| 1966 | #5 | 25,449 | 1.5039% |
| 1965 | #3 | 32,870 | 1.8622% |
| 1964 | #4 | 30,247 | 1.5963% |
| 1963 | #4 | 32,487 | 1.6855% |
| 1962 | #4 | 35,188 | 1.7893% |
| 1961 | #5 | 34,697 | 1.7191% |
| 1960 | #4 | 36,380 | 1.7993% |
| 1959 | #4 | 36,783 | 1.8178% |
| 1958 | #4 | 38,488 | 1.9133% |
| 1957 | #5 | 40,590 | 1.9850% |
| 1956 | #7 | 40,052 | 1.9949% |
| 1955 | #8 | 33,219 | 1.6989% |
| 1954 | #8 | 32,456 | 1.6713% |
| 1953 | #9 | 29,858 | 1.5871% |
| 1952 | #8 | 28,957 | 1.5616% |
| 1951 | #8 | 27,998 | 1.5547% |
| 1950 | #12 | 24,132 | 1.4087% |
| 1949 | #11 | 22,468 | 1.3132% |
| 1948 | #12 | 21,996 | 1.2955% |
| 1947 | #13 | 21,648 | 1.2211% |
| 1946 | #15 | 19,647 | 1.2504% |
| 1945 | #16 | 15,680 | 1.1996% |
| 1944 | #16 | 15,944 | 1.2013% |
| 1943 | #15 | 16,816 | 1.2052% |
| 1942 | #16 | 15,386 | 1.1391% |
| 1941 | #19 | 10,831 | 0.8965% |
| 1940 | #34 | 7,283 | 0.6369% |
| 1939 | #39 | 5,541 | 0.5053% |
| 1938 | #50 | 4,508 | 0.4085% |
| 1937 | #113 | 2,232 | 0.2098% |
| 1936 | #132 | 1,718 | 0.1651% |
| 1935 | #172 | 1,097 | 0.1046% |
| 1934 | #258 | 588 | 0.0563% |
| 1933 | #283 | 453 | 0.0449% |
| 1932 | #367 | 303 | 0.0284% |
| 1931 | #536 | 152 | 0.0143% |
| 1930 | #689 | 100 | 0.0089% |
| 1929 | #801 | 78 | 0.0070% |
| 1928 | #818 | 78 | 0.0068% |
| 1927 | #1,015 | 57 | 0.0048% |
| 1926 | #953 | 62 | 0.0052% |
| 1925 | #1,097 | 49 | 0.0040% |
| 1924 | #1,008 | 58 | 0.0046% |
| 1923 | #1,106 | 48 | 0.0040% |
| 1922 | #1,084 | 50 | 0.0042% |
| 1921 | #1,192 | 42 | 0.0034% |
| 1920 | #1,179 | 42 | 0.0035% |
| 1919 | #1,543 | 27 | 0.0024% |
| 1918 | #964 | 56 | 0.0048% |
| 1917 | #1,031 | 47 | 0.0043% |
| 1916 | #1,093 | 42 | 0.0040% |
| 1915 | #1,146 | 36 | 0.0037% |
| 1914 | #1,029 | 34 | 0.0045% |
| 1913 | #1,826 | 12 | 0.0019% |
| 1912 | #966 | 28 | 0.0050% |
| 1911 | #1,499 | 11 | 0.0026% |
| 1910 | #1,473 | 11 | 0.0028% |
| 1909 | #1,250 | 12 | 0.0035% |
| 1908 | #1,168 | 13 | 0.0039% |
| 1907 | #1,061 | 14 | 0.0044% |
| 1906 | #940 | 16 | 0.0054% |
| 1905 | #1,212 | 11 | 0.0038% |
| 1904 | #1,137 | 11 | 0.0040% |
| 1903 | #1,382 | 8 | 0.0031% |
| 1901 | #1,806 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1900 | #1,505 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1899 | #1,143 | 9 | 0.0039% |
| 1898 | #1,316 | 8 | 0.0031% |
| 1897 | #1,663 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1896 | #1,170 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1894 | #978 | 11 | 0.0049% |
| 1893 | #1,239 | 7 | 0.0033% |
| 1892 | #984 | 10 | 0.0047% |
| 1891 | #1,271 | 6 | 0.0032% |
| 1890 | #747 | 14 | 0.0074% |
| 1889 | #872 | 10 | 0.0056% |
| 1888 | #1,380 | 5 | 0.0028% |
| 1887 | #822 | 9 | 0.0062% |
| 1886 | #802 | 9 | 0.0062% |
| 1885 | #715 | 10 | 0.0075% |
| 1881 | #786 | 6 | 0.0065% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #13,191 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,301 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,456 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #10,232 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #13,060 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #13,245 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #10,204 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #9,242 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #13,582 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2007 | #6,860 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #7,184 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #7,991 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #6,337 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #6,991 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #10,051 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #4,380 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2000 | #4,001 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #4,890 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #9,065 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #6,368 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,099 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #3,494 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1994 | #3,827 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1993 | #2,317 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1992 | #2,776 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1991 | #3,058 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1990 | #3,390 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #1,971 | 37 | 0.0018% |
| 1988 | #2,806 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #1,846 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1986 | #2,394 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1985 | #2,151 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1984 | #1,954 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1983 | #2,310 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1982 | #1,834 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1981 | #2,240 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #2,028 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1979 | #1,770 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1978 | #2,158 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1977 | #1,881 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1976 | #1,522 | 36 | 0.0023% |
| 1975 | #1,729 | 29 | 0.0019% |
| 1974 | #1,457 | 36 | 0.0023% |
| 1973 | #1,318 | 40 | 0.0026% |
| 1972 | #1,169 | 49 | 0.0030% |
| 1971 | #1,086 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 1970 | #1,199 | 48 | 0.0026% |
| 1969 | #889 | 74 | 0.0041% |
| 1968 | #1,059 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 1967 | #988 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 1966 | #907 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 1965 | #822 | 81 | 0.0044% |
| 1964 | #789 | 91 | 0.0046% |
| 1963 | #832 | 83 | 0.0041% |
| 1962 | #884 | 75 | 0.0036% |
| 1961 | #862 | 79 | 0.0037% |
| 1960 | #895 | 72 | 0.0034% |
| 1959 | #850 | 80 | 0.0037% |
| 1958 | #939 | 66 | 0.0031% |
| 1957 | #856 | 77 | 0.0036% |
| 1956 | #884 | 72 | 0.0034% |
| 1955 | #1,072 | 50 | 0.0024% |
| 1954 | #1,031 | 53 | 0.0026% |
| 1953 | #943 | 58 | 0.0029% |
| 1952 | #1,233 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1951 | #1,268 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1950 | #1,212 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1949 | #1,102 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1948 | #1,206 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1947 | #1,202 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1946 | #1,119 | 39 | 0.0024% |
| 1945 | #869 | 52 | 0.0039% |
| 1944 | #911 | 49 | 0.0036% |
| 1943 | #912 | 54 | 0.0038% |
| 1942 | #802 | 65 | 0.0047% |
| 1941 | #965 | 44 | 0.0036% |
| 1940 | #1,084 | 37 | 0.0032% |
| 1939 | #1,679 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1938 | #1,504 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1937 | #2,583 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #2,013 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #2,827 | 8 | 0.0008% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Karen
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Most Popular Girl Names at All Time
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How the Name Karen Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Karen's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Karen's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.