Karen
5 countries#1279 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Karen was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
990,774 births recorded 1881–2025 · currently #1279 · peaked in 1957 with 40,668 births
Most common in: California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
13,903 births recorded 1948–2022 · currently #2848 · peaked in 1975 with 938 births
Most common in: Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Rhône, Val-de-Marne, Nord
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
10,163 births recorded 1974–2021 · peaked in 1975 with 826 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
9,223 births recorded 1974–2014 · peaked in 1975 with 826 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
853 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #3192 · peaked in 1996 with 76 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
87 births recorded 1997–2010 · peaked in 1997 with 16 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Karen’s rank among girls’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #173 | — |
| 2007 | #165 | ↑8 |
| 2008 | #187 | ↓22 |
| 2009 | #231 | ↓44 |
| 2010 | #248 | ↓17 |
| 2011 | #287 | ↓39 |
| 2012 | #354 | ↓67 |
| 2013 | #416 | ↓62 |
| 2014 | #494 | ↓78 |
| 2015 | #505 | ↓11 |
| 2016 | #508 | ↓3 |
| 2017 | #556 | ↓48 |
| 2018 | #636 | ↓80 |
| 2019 | #662 | ↓26 |
| 2020 | #821 | ↓159 |
| 2021 | #1088 | ↓267 |
| 2022 | #1216 | ↓128 |
| 2023 | #1089 | ↑127 |
| 2024 | #1250 | ↓161 |
| 2025 | #1279 | ↓29 |
Frequently asked questions about Karen
Is Karen a popular name?
Yes — Karen currently ranks #1279 among girls’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Karen more common for boys or girls?
Karen is recorded predominantly as a girls’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Karen most popular?
Karen peaked in 1957 in United States, with 40,668 recorded births that year.
Is Karen rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Karen’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #740 in 1881 to #1279 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Karen?
At least 1,014,840 babies have been recorded with the name Karen across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Karen popular in more than one country?
Yes — Karen appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, France, Scotland, England & Wales, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Karen?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Karen include Antonia, Cassie, Leela, Rumi.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Karen in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.