Karleen Girl

Popularity: — · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: kar-LEEN //kɑːrˈliːn//

Origin: English; German

Meaning: English: free woman; German: strong

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Karleen is believed to be a variant of the name Karla, which itself is derived from the masculine name Karl, originating from the Germanic word "karl" meaning "man" or "free man." The name Karl has roots in Old High German and was adopted into Latin as "Carolus," which later influenced various forms across different languages, including the French "Charles" and the English "Charles." The transition into English occurred through Norman influence after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where the name became widely used among the nobility and commoners alike. Historically, the name Karl has been borne by several notable figures, including Charlemagne (Charles the Great), who was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 AD and is a significant figure in European history.

The name has also been associated with various saints, such as Saint Charles Borromeo, a prominent figure in the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century. The feminine form Karleen likely emerged in the 20th century as part of a broader trend of creating feminine variants of traditionally masculine names, reflecting changing attitudes towards gender and identity.

Culturally, names derived from Karl have often been associated with strength and nobility, resonating with the historical significance of the figures who bore the name. The diminutive form "Karla" has also been used in various cultures, further emphasizing the name's adaptability and enduring appeal.

The evolution of Karleen illustrates the dynamic nature of naming conventions, where historical roots and cultural significance intertwine to create a name that carries both heritage and contemporary relevance.

Sibling suggestions

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

KatherineKarinaKarlaKelseyKaitlyn

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Karleen. 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.

MarleenCharleneArleneDarleneJasleenKareenaSelene

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Karleen was first seen in the United States in 1914.

Karleen has ranked as high as #2116 nationally, which occurred in 1964, and has been most popular in California, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Karleen 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 Karleen 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 Karleen.

Year Total Births Girl
2024 5 5
2021 5 5
2020 5 5
2018 8 8
2017 10 10
2016 6 6
2015 6 6
2014 6 6
2013 9 9
2012 7 7
2010 6 6
2009 5 5
2008 9 9
2007 6 6
2006 9 9
2004 7 7
2003 11 11
2002 10 10
2001 11 11
2000 25 25
1999 10 10
1998 16 16
1997 18 18
1996 19 19
1995 19 19
1994 18 18
1993 23 23
1992 17 17
1991 22 22
1990 24 24
1989 19 19
1988 27 27
1987 22 22
1986 26 26
1985 19 19
1984 15 15
1983 26 26
1982 21 21
1981 14 14
1980 15 15
1979 26 26
1978 16 16
1977 27 27
1976 25 25
1975 21 21
1974 27 27
1973 30 30
1972 30 30
1971 33 33
1970 42 42
1969 45 45
1968 48 48
1967 50 50
1966 42 42
1965 46 46
1964 74 74
1963 65 65
1962 52 52
1961 49 49
1960 50 50
1959 61 61
1958 52 52
1957 60 60
1956 55 55
1955 60 60
1954 49 49
1953 49 49
1952 56 56
1951 53 53
1950 43 43
1949 57 57
1948 59 59
1947 48 48
1946 47 47
1945 51 51
1944 49 49
1943 45 45
1942 50 50
1941 45 45
1940 32 32
1939 34 34
1938 35 35
1937 43 43
1936 32 32
1935 37 37
1934 15 15
1933 19 19
1932 18 18
1931 15 15
1930 14 14
1929 15 15
1928 12 12
1927 6 6
1926 15 15
1925 9 9
1924 13 13
1923 12 12
1922 5 5
1921 8 8
1920 7 7
1919 6 6
1918 5 5
1917 6 6
1916 5 5
1914 5 5

Top States for Karleen (1994)

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 7
100%