Karen
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Pure; Beloved
Background: The name Karen derives from the Hebrew name 'Keren,' meaning 'pure.' This name was adopted into Greek as Καρέν (Karen) and later became popular in Latin-speaking regions. The name is often associated with the Latin term 'carina,' meaning 'beloved.'
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#15
Total births
990,595
Most popular decade
1950s
(999,285 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-764 ranks)
Years in Top 100
49
First recorded year
1881
Gender usage
0.3% male
99.7% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1935
- First year births
- 8
- First year rank
- #2,720
- Peak year
- 1964
- Peak year births
- 91
- Peak rank
- #787
- Most recent year
- 2023
- Recent year births
- 5
- Recent rank
- #12,230
Female
- First year
- 1881
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #740
- Peak year
- 1957
- Peak year births
- 40,590
- Peak rank
- #5
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 184
- Recent rank
- #1,258
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).