Karren
A feminine name of English origin meaning "pure".
Name Census estimates that about 1,479 living Americans carry the first name Karren. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Karren today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karren births was 1943 (100 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karren. 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.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 231,747 Americans
Peak year
1943
100 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
2010 SSA rank
#14,218
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Karren: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Karren from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 698 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karren 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 Karren during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Karrens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 17 states and territories. California, Texas, Utah recorded the most babies named Karren, while Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 30 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Karren
The name Karren is believed to have originated from the German language, likely derived from the word "Karre," which means "cart" or "wagon." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in transportation or trade.
In the early medieval period, the name Karren was primarily used in Germanic regions of Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It was a relatively common name among the working class and peasantry, possibly reflecting its connection to manual labor and transportation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karren can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany, dating back to the 12th century. In this text, a man named Karren von Weissenfels is mentioned as a landowner and farmer.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the name Karren remained prevalent in German-speaking regions, though its popularity waxed and waned over time. Notable individuals bearing this name include Karren von Richthofen (1492-1548), a German knight and military commander who fought in the Peasants' War of 1524-1525.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Karren gained some traction in other parts of Europe, likely due to the migration of German-speaking populations. One notable figure from this era was Karren Scharfenberg (1570-1638), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his detailed landscapes and city views.
In the 18th century, the name Karren was still predominantly found in German-speaking areas, but it also started appearing in historical records from other European countries, such as France and England. One example is Karren Boucher (1701-1771), a French painter and engraver who was particularly renowned for her still-life works.
As the 19th century dawned, the name Karren continued to be used across various regions of Europe, though its popularity may have declined somewhat in comparison to previous centuries. One notable individual from this period was Karren Benz (1844-1929), the wife of German automotive pioneer Karl Benz and a significant figure in the early days of the automobile industry.
Throughout its history, the name Karren has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, ranging from artists and artisans to military figures and entrepreneurs. While it may have waned in popularity in recent times, the name Karren remains a part of the rich tapestry of European naming traditions.
People
Karren + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karren 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
Karren: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karren?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,479 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karren 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 231,747 US residents.
Is Karren a common name?
We classify Karren as "Rare". It ranks above 92.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,177 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karren most popular?
The single biggest year for Karren was 1943, when 100 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karren is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Karren a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karren 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.
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.