Karen Girl

Popularity: #773 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAR-en //ˈkɛr.ən//

Origin: Danish; English; Hebrew

Meaning: Danish: pure; Hebrew: dear little one

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Karen has its roots in the Danish form of the name Katherine, which is derived from the Greek name Aikaterine. The etymology of Katherine is often linked to the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure." This connection highlights the name's association with purity and innocence.

The name made its way into English through various linguistic transformations, including Latin and Old French, before becoming popular in English-speaking countries, particularly in the 20th century. Historically, the name Katherine has been borne by numerous notable figures, including saints and queens.

One of the most significant early bearers was Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian martyr from the 4th century, who became a symbol of wisdom and learning. Her influence helped to popularize the name throughout medieval Europe, particularly in the context of religious devotion.

The name's association with royalty is also notable, as several queens and princesses across Europe have carried the name, further embedding it into the cultural fabric of various nations. The name Karen emerged as a distinct form in the 20th century, particularly in Scandinavia, where it became a popular diminutive of Katherine.

Its cultural resonance is often linked to themes of kindness and compassion, reflecting the qualities associated with its etymological roots. The name has been used in literature and popular culture, contributing to its enduring presence in various contexts.

Overall, Karen's journey from its Greek origins to its modern usage illustrates the evolution of names and their meanings across different cultures and eras.

Famous people named Karen

In this section, you will find notable people named Karen. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Karen who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Karen who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Karen Carpenter is a singer and drummer best known for her work with The Carpenters, including hits like "Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun.".

Karen Gillan is an actress best known for her roles in Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Karen O is a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and for songs like "Maps" and "Heads Will Roll.".

Karen Allen is an actress best known for her roles in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Animal House, and Starman.

Karen Brady is a business executive and television personality best known for her role on The Apprentice UK and as a vice-chairman of West Ham United.

Karen Hesse is an author best known for her children's and young adult literature, including the Newbery Medal-winning book Out of the Dust.

Karen Kingsbury is an author best known for her inspirational novels, including the Baxter Family series and the Above the Line series.

Karen Mok is a singer and actress best known for her music career in Asia and her roles in films like So Close and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Karen Black is an actress and screenwriter best known for her roles in Five Easy Pieces, Nashville, and Easy Rider.

Karen Joy Fowler is an author best known for her novel The Jane Austen Book Club and for her work in science fiction and literary fiction.

Fictional characters named Karen

The following list of fictional characters named Karen is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Karen Page is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe. She is a key love interest and ally of Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Karen, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

KatherineKelseyKristenKiraKylieKaitlyn

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Karen. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

CarmenKarlaKendraKaitlinKaraKassieKarinaKylie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Karen was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Karen has ranked as high as #14 nationally, which occurred in 1957, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Karen has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Karen is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Karen was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Karen.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 175 0 175
2024 186 0 186
2023 231 5 226
2022 199 0 199
2021 229 0 229
2020 338 6 332
2019 446 6 440
2018 470 0 470
2017 561 7 554
2016 617 0 617
2015 632 5 627
2014 633 0 633
2013 730 0 730
2012 902 5 897
2011 1,111 7 1,104
2010 1,296 8 1,288
2009 1,433 0 1,433
2008 1,821 5 1,816
2007 2,184 12 2,172
2006 2,042 11 2,031
2005 2,074 9 2,065
2004 2,180 12 2,168
2003 2,341 10 2,331
2002 2,231 6 2,225
2001 2,212 18 2,194
2000 2,194 20 2,174
1999 2,186 14 2,172
1998 2,079 6 2,073
1997 2,235 9 2,226
1996 2,417 16 2,401
1995 2,288 19 2,269
1994 2,504 17 2,487
1993 2,839 33 2,806
1992 2,790 25 2,765
1991 2,622 21 2,601
1990 2,734 18 2,716
1989 2,795 37 2,758
1988 2,587 20 2,567
1987 2,615 35 2,580
1986 2,824 23 2,801
1985 3,164 26 3,138
1984 3,564 28 3,536
1983 3,809 22 3,787
1982 4,184 31 4,153
1981 4,562 23 4,539
1980 5,082 27 5,055
1979 5,631 32 5,599
1978 6,393 22 6,371
1977 7,468 27 7,441
1976 7,541 36 7,505
1975 8,197 29 8,168
1974 8,679 36 8,643
1973 9,392 40 9,352
1972 11,230 49 11,181
1971 14,271 57 14,214
1970 16,747 48 16,699
1969 17,707 74 17,633
1968 19,609 49 19,560
1967 21,591 54 21,537
1966 25,514 64 25,450
1965 32,950 81 32,869
1964 30,334 91 30,243
1963 32,575 83 32,492
1962 35,259 75 35,184
1961 34,786 79 34,707
1960 36,450 72 36,378
1959 36,864 80 36,784
1958 38,553 66 38,487
1957 40,668 77 40,591
1956 40,124 72 40,052
1955 33,267 50 33,217
1954 32,510 54 32,456
1953 29,916 58 29,858
1952 28,992 36 28,956
1951 28,032 34 27,998
1950 24,168 36 24,132
1949 22,509 41 22,468
1948 22,032 36 21,996
1947 21,685 37 21,648
1946 19,686 39 19,647
1945 15,732 52 15,680
1944 15,993 49 15,944
1943 16,870 54 16,816
1942 15,452 65 15,387
1941 10,875 44 10,831
1940 7,320 37 7,283
1939 5,558 17 5,541
1938 4,529 21 4,508
1937 2,241 9 2,232
1936 1,731 13 1,718
1935 1,105 8 1,097
1934 588 0 588
1933 453 0 453
1932 303 0 303
1931 152 0 152
1930 100 0 100
1929 78 0 78
1928 78 0 78
1927 57 0 57
1926 62 0 62
1925 49 0 49
1924 58 0 58
1923 48 0 48
1922 50 0 50
1921 42 0 42
1920 42 0 42
1919 27 0 27
1918 56 0 56
1917 47 0 47
1916 42 0 42
1915 36 0 36
1914 34 0 34
1913 12 0 12
1912 28 0 28
1911 11 0 11
1910 11 0 11
1909 12 0 12
1908 13 0 13
1907 14 0 14
1906 16 0 16
1905 11 0 11
1904 11 0 11
1903 8 0 8
1901 5 0 5
1900 8 0 8
1899 9 0 9
1898 8 0 8
1897 5 0 5
1896 9 0 9
1894 11 0 11
1893 7 0 7
1892 10 0 10
1891 6 0 6
1890 14 0 14
1889 10 0 10
1888 5 0 5
1887 9 0 9
1886 9 0 9
1885 10 0 10
1881 6 0 6

Top States for Karen (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 25
19%
PA 13
10%
TX 12
9%
FL 11
8%
NJ 10
8%
OH 9
7%
TN 9
7%
MD 8
6%
WI 8
6%
NY 7
5%
GA 6
5%
KY 5
4%
MA 5
4%
NC 5
4%