Kareem
Boy name · #701 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
Kareem is currently the #701 boy name in the United States — 383 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #731, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,700 boys born in 2025 was named Kareem.
The 61-year story
Kareem first appears in the Social Security records in 1964, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 459 boys were named Kareem — good for #373 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kareem per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kareem against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kareem in class?
Kareem scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kareem is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kareem is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kareems were CA (40), FL (29), IL (28), MI (27), TX (25). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kareem
Statistically, parents drawn to Kareem tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Raheem, Hakeem, Quincy, Jaime, and Naeem.
RaheemHakeemQuincyJaimeNaeemMarioAkeemAriel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kareem | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 383 | #701 |
| 2024 | 405 | #675 |
| 2023 | 442 | #628 |
| 2022 | 407 | #670 |
| 2021 | 382 | #696 |
| 2020 | 419 | #638 |
| 2019 | 386 | #672 |
| 2018 | 347 | #696 |
| 2017 | 352 | #700 |
| 2016 | 345 | #708 |
| 2015 | 334 | #731 |
| 2014 | 315 | #751 |
| 2013 | 352 | #682 |
| 2012 | 311 | #743 |
| 2011 | 306 | #740 |
| 2010 | 334 | #698 |
| 2009 | 314 | #740 |
| 2008 | 309 | #739 |
| 2007 | 314 | #730 |
| 2006 | 303 | #714 |
| 2005 | 294 | #700 |
| 2004 | 346 | #618 |
| 2003 | 299 | #662 |
| 2002 | 316 | #622 |
| 2001 | 324 | #606 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kareem a popular boy name?
Kareem ranked #701 among boys in 2025 with 383 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #731.
When was the name Kareem most popular?
Kareem peaked in 1980, when 459 American boys received the name (ranked #373 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kareem?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,700 newborn American boys was named Kareem. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.