Karen
Danish · Girl · 2 syllables
Popularity & facts
Relative popularity index, 2010–2025Popularity over time
Popularity indexHistorical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data
About the name Karen
The name Karen derives from the Greek name Aikaterine, which is believed to come from the Greek word "katharos" meaning "pure." It entered English-speaking countries primarily through the Scandinavian form Karin and became widely popular in the 20th century, particularly in North America and Northern Europe.
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Etymology
The name Karen derives from the Greek name Aikaterine, which is believed to come from the Greek word "katharos" meaning "pure." It entered English-speaking countries primarily through the Scandinavian form Karin and became widely popular in the 20th century, particularly in North America and Northern Europe.
The name is used across Christian cultures and secular Western societies, with particular prevalence in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and English-speaking countries; it gained significant popularity in the United States during the 1950s-1970s but has no specific religious affiliation beyond its Christian etymological roots.
Karen currently ranks #1,281 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1957.
Variants & nicknames
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Sibling name ideas
Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, English, German, Armenian, Japanese names that sit beautifully beside KarenSimilar names you might like
Names starting with KMore names starting with K
- Kaija
- Kaia
- Kai
- Kacper
- Kaan
- Kabir
- Kaarlo
- Kaiden
- Kaarina
- Kahil
- Kaci
- Kade
- Kaden
- Kacey
- Kaila
- Kaelan
- Kadie
- Kaelah
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Names that sound like Karen
Phonetic match, not just spelling"Karina derives from the Latin name Carina, meaning "dear" or "beloved," with roots in the Latin word "carus." The name…"
"Kiran is a Sanskrit name meaning "ray of light" or "beam," derived from the Sanskrit root "kir" meaning to scatter…"
"Karan is derived from Sanskrit and means "maker" or "doer," rooted in the verb "kṛ" (to do/make)."
"Karin is a Scandinavian and Germanic form of Catherine, derived from the Greek name Katherina, which comes from the root…"
"Kerem derives from Arabic "karam" (كرم), meaning generosity, nobility, or vineyard, with roots in Semitic languages emphasizing virtue and abundance."
"The name Karam is derived from Arabic and means "generosity" or "nobility," rooted in the word "karam" (كرم) which signifies…"
"The name 'Keirn' is an anglicized variant of the Irish Gaelic name 'Ciarán,' meaning "little dark one" or "black-haired," derived…"
"Kaarina means "pure" and derives from the Greek name Katharina, which comes from the Greek word "katharos" (καθαρός)."
"Kieran derives from the Irish name Ciarán, which comes from the Old Irish word "ciar" meaning "dark" or "black," originally…"
"Kiaran is an Irish name derived from the Gaelic "Ciaran," meaning "little dark one" or "dark-haired," from the root "ciar"…"
"Keiran is an Irish name derived from the Irish name Ciarán, which comes from the Old Irish word "ciar" meaning…"
"Karuna means "compassion" or "mercy" and derives from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India."