Karen
A girls’ name of Greek origin, meaning pure; a form of Catherine.
How Karen has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #505 |
| 2016 | #508 |
| 2017 | #556 |
| 2018 | #637 |
| 2019 | #661 |
| 2020 | #824 |
Karen by the numbers
In 2025, 11 babies in England and Wales were named Karen. In the US, 559 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given several times more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 40,585 babies in 1957, so it is a 1950s name that has since fallen a long way.
Other names that come from Catherine
Like Karen, each of these traces back to Catherine: a form of it, a name built from it, or a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Catalinapure; Spanish form of Catherine1,218 in the US (2017)
- Katarinapure; a form of Catherine141 in the US (2017)
- Cattaleyapure; a modern respelling of Catherine62 in the US (2017)
- Caterinapure; Italian form of Catherine56 in the US (2017)
- Katyapure; a form of Catherine or Ekaterina54 in the US (2017)
- Catalayapure; a modern respelling of Catalina or Catherine51 in the US (2017)
- Catepure; a form of Catherine38 in the US (2017)
- Cathrynpure; a form of Catherine37 in the US (2017)
Names that come from Karen
Forms of Karen in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Karen. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Karsenfollower of Christ; a modern respelling of Karsten234 in the US (2017)
- Kerenhorn; strength; ray of light104 in the US (2017)
- Karinpure; a form of Karen30 in the US (2017)
- Karynpure; a form of Karen or Carina23 in the US (2017)
- Karenapure; chaste; a form of karen or katherine22 in the US (2017)
- Kareengenerous; a form of Karim11 in the US (2017)
Sounds like Karen
Names that are said the same way as Karen, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.
Other names that mean purity
Like Karen, each of these has purity in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
Names about as common as Karen
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