Will my child share the name Karen with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 4 UK babies named Karen per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Karen in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Karen becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Karen has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 2904 places in the last five years. Its peak was #417 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.

Is Karen popular in the US as well as the UK?

Karen is more popular in the US (#824) than in the UK (#4844). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.

Is Karen a popular baby name in the United States?

Karen does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice.

NameInClass Baby name predictor

👧 Girl's name 💎 Relatively Unique UK #4844

Karen

Karen is a distinctive choice, ranked #4844 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Karen in their class.

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UK Rank 2024

#4844

US Rank #824

About the Name Karen

Karen has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 2904 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #417 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.

Karen is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.

In the US it ranks even higher at #824, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.