Karim
Boy name · #1089 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Karim ranks #1089 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 198 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1089, so the name has been remarkably stable over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,091 boys born in 2025 was named Karim.
Babies named Karim per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 68-year story
Karim first appears in the Social Security records in 1957, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 376 babies and a rank of #706. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Karim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karim in class?
Karim scores 66 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 Karim is most common
Geography matters for names, and Karim is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Karims were TX (29), CA (27), FL (16), NY (15), IL (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Karim
Statistically, parents drawn to Karim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chaim, Naim, Kenan, Denim, and Salim.
ChaimNaimKenanDenimSalimKenjiEphraimKaram
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 198 | #1084 |
| 2024 | 305 | #819 |
| 2023 | 376 | #706 |
| 2022 | 328 | #771 |
| 2021 | 194 | #1089 |
| 2020 | 212 | #999 |
| 2019 | 192 | #1063 |
| 2018 | 180 | #1092 |
| 2017 | 193 | #1042 |
| 2016 | 236 | #911 |
| 2015 | 179 | #1089 |
| 2014 | 180 | #1074 |
| 2013 | 162 | #1119 |
| 2012 | 155 | #1172 |
| 2011 | 141 | #1235 |
| 2010 | 153 | #1179 |
| 2009 | 153 | #1182 |
| 2008 | 131 | #1325 |
| 2007 | 119 | #1380 |
| 2006 | 131 | #1273 |
| 2005 | 120 | #1282 |
| 2004 | 131 | #1183 |
| 2003 | 129 | #1159 |
| 2002 | 122 | #1160 |
| 2001 | 114 | #1191 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karim a popular boy name?
Karim ranked #1089 among boys in 2025 with 198 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1089.
When was the name Karim most popular?
Karim peaked in 2023, when 376 American boys received the name (ranked #706 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Karim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,091 newborn American boys was named Karim. It scores 66/100 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.