Find out how popular the first name Karen has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Karen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Karen is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Karen being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 224 female babies and 5 male babies born with the name Karen.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Karen in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Karen

The name Karen is a variant of the ancient Greek name Katerina, which is derived from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure" or "clear." It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region during the Byzantine era.

In ancient Greece, the name Katerina was associated with the Greek goddess Hecate, who was revered as the goddess of witchcraft, sorcery, and the night. The name was popular among early Christian communities in the region, and it gained wider recognition after the rise of Christianity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karen can be found in the hagiographies (biographies of saints) of the 5th century. St. Karen, also known as St. Cyrene, was a martyr from Tyre (modern-day Lebanon) who was persecuted for her Christian faith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.

In the Middle Ages, the name Karen gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and the British Isles. Notable historical figures with the name Karen include Karen Brahes (1528-1604), a Danish noblewoman and astronomer who made significant contributions to the scientific understanding of the Tychonic system of planetary motion.

During the Renaissance, the name Karen was associated with the arts and literature. Karen Anckers (1493-1532) was a Dutch Renaissance poet and writer who is considered one of the earliest female authors in the Netherlands. Karen von Lilienfeld (1520-1589) was an Austrian Renaissance composer and musician who wrote sacred and secular works.

In more recent history, Karen Blixen (1885-1962), a Danish author and baroness, gained international acclaim for her memoir "Out of Africa," which recounted her experiences as a plantation owner in colonial Kenya.

Karen Horney (1885-1952) was a German-American psychoanalyst who made significant contributions to the field of psychoanalytic theory and is considered one of the founders of modern feminist psychology.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Karen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Karen, please contact us.

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