Karran
A feminine name of Hindi origin meaning "ray of light".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Karran. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Karran today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karran births was 1951 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karran. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Karran with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Karran is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Karrans were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Karran. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1951
6 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1955 SSA rank
#6,268
Tracked since 1941
Census
Karran in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 159 people with the first name Karran, which placed it at #43,953 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#43,953
National first-name rank
People counted
159
159 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
45.3% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Karran
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Karran is White at 45.3%. The next largest groups are Black (23.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Karran described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Karran at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White45.3% · 72
- Black or African American23.3% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander22.0% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native6.3% · 10
- Two or more races1.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 2
Popularity
Karran: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Karran from the 1940s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 15 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1940s peak, Karran remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karran 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 Karran 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 Karran
The given name Karran has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Punjab region of modern-day India and Pakistan. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Karana," meaning "cause" or "reason." The name's roots can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it was often used to symbolize the concept of causality and the interconnectedness of all things.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karran can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, the character Karran is portrayed as a wise and learned sage, renowned for his deep understanding of the workings of the universe and the principles that govern it. This association with wisdom and knowledge has likely contributed to the enduring popularity of the name over the centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Karran. One of the most prominent was Karran Singh (1858-1920), a renowned Indian poet and writer who played a significant role in the literary renaissance of the Punjab region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works, which often explored themes of spirituality and social commentary, have left a lasting impact on the cultural landscape of the region.
Another notable figure was Karran Devi (1904-1992), an Indian freedom fighter and social activist who dedicated her life to the cause of women's empowerment and education. She was actively involved in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly to promote literacy and improve the lives of underprivileged women and children in her community.
In the realm of sports, Karran Preet Singh (born 1985) is a prominent Indian cricketer who has represented his country in various international tournaments. His impressive performances on the field have earned him a dedicated fan following and recognition as one of the finest bowlers of his generation.
The name Karran has also made its mark in the world of science and academia. Karran Khera (born 1962) is a renowned Indian-American astrophysicist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Her pioneering research on black holes and gravitational waves has garnered international acclaim and contributed significantly to our understanding of the universe.
Finally, Karran Malhi (born 1977) is a Canadian actor and filmmaker of Indian descent who has made a name for himself in both the television and film industries. His diverse body of work, ranging from critically acclaimed independent films to popular television series, has showcased his versatility and talent as a performer.
While these examples only scratch the surface of the historical significance and cultural impact of the name Karran, they serve to illustrate the rich tapestry of individuals who have carried this name throughout the ages. From poets and activists to athletes and scientists, the name Karran has left an indelible mark on various facets of human endeavor, reflecting its deep-rooted connections to the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and the betterment of society.
People
Karran + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karran 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
Karran: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karran?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karran 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Karran a common name?
We classify Karran as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 26 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karran most popular?
The single biggest year for Karran was 1951, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karran is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Karran in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 159 people with the name Karran, or 0.05 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #43,953 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Karran in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Karran?
The 2020 Census sex table shows Karran on both sides of the split. Of the 159 people counted with this name, 70 were male (44.0%) and 89 were female (56.0%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Karran?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Karran is White at 45.3%. The next largest groups are Black (23.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Karran most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Karran in the 2020 Census, accounting for 45.3% (72 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Karran in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Karran a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karran 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 Karran still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Karran 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 Karran 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.
How common is the name Karran?
See how many Americans are named Karran on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.