Karen
Girl name · #1281 in 2025 · Uniqueness 79/100
Karen ranks #1281 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 175 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #505, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,286 girls born in 2025 was named Karen.
Babies named Karen per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 144-year story
Karen first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 40,591 girls were named Karen — good for #5 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karen in class?
Karen scores 79 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Karen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Karen is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Karens were TX (25), NY (15), PA (12), OH (11), CA (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Karen
Statistically, parents drawn to Karen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kathleen, Susan, Ellen, Ann, and Anita.
KathleenSusanEllenAnnAnitaSharonRobinLynn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 175 | #1279 |
| 2024 | 186 | #1250 |
| 2023 | 226 | #1089 |
| 2022 | 199 | #1216 |
| 2021 | 229 | #1088 |
| 2020 | 332 | #821 |
| 2019 | 440 | #662 |
| 2018 | 470 | #636 |
| 2017 | 554 | #556 |
| 2016 | 617 | #508 |
| 2015 | 627 | #505 |
| 2014 | 633 | #494 |
| 2013 | 730 | #416 |
| 2012 | 897 | #354 |
| 2011 | 1,104 | #287 |
| 2010 | 1,288 | #248 |
| 2009 | 1,433 | #231 |
| 2008 | 1,816 | #187 |
| 2007 | 2,172 | #165 |
| 2006 | 2,031 | #173 |
| 2005 | 2,065 | #164 |
| 2004 | 2,168 | #155 |
| 2003 | 2,331 | #141 |
| 2002 | 2,225 | #150 |
| 2001 | 2,194 | #148 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karen a popular girl name?
Karen ranked #1281 among girls in 2025 with 175 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #505.
When was the name Karen most popular?
Karen peaked in 1957, when 40,591 American girls received the name (ranked #5 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,286 newborn American girls was named Karen. It scores 79/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.