Karenn
A feminine name derived from the Greek "Katherinē", meaning "pure and virtuous".
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name Karenn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Karenn today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karenn births was 1957 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karenn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Karenn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
1957
5 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2000 SSA rank
#16,243
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Karenn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Karenn from the 1950s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karenn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Karenn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Karenn
The given name Karenn has its linguistic roots in the Germanic and Scandinavian languages, tracing back to the Old Norse word "Karinn" or "Karin," which means "pure" or "beloved." This name gained popularity during the Viking era, particularly in regions such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Karenn can be found in medieval Norse sagas and chronicles, where it was often bestowed upon noble women. One notable example is Karenn Sigurdsdottir, a Norwegian noblewoman who lived in the 12th century and was renowned for her strength of character and leadership skills.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the name Karenn. One of the most renowned is Karenn Mansdotter, a Swedish queen who ruled from 1032 to 1050. She played a significant role in the consolidation of the Swedish kingdom and is remembered for her patronage of the arts and culture.
In the realm of literature, Karenn Michaëlis (1872-1950) was a Danish novelist and playwright whose works explored themes of feminism and social justice. Her novel "The Dangerous Age" became an international bestseller and was later adapted into a film.
The name Karenn also holds significance in religious contexts. Saint Karenn of Siena (1347-1380) was an Italian mystic and theologian who played a pivotal role in the Western Schism, advocating for the return of the papacy to Rome.
Another notable figure bearing the name Karenn is Karenn Bruntlett (1951-1988), a Swedish actress and activist who gained recognition for her roles in various films and television shows, as well as her advocacy for environmental causes.
It's worth noting that while the name Karenn has its origins in the Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, it has been adopted and adapted across various regions and linguistic backgrounds, leading to slight variations in spelling and pronunciation.
People
Karenn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karenn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Karenn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karenn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karenn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 19,041,908 US residents.
Is Karenn a common name?
We classify Karenn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 38.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 20 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karenn most popular?
The single biggest year for Karenn was 1957, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karenn is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Karenn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Karenn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karenn in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Karenn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Karenn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Karenn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Karenn?
Find out how many Americans are named Karenn on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.