How Many People Are Named Karen?
Complete statistics for the name Karen: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Karen is a Scandinavian form of Katherine, meaning pure or chaste, and it's far more common than most people realize today, with around 812,962 living in the US right now. That's 1 in 406 Americans. The striking part is how completely this name belongs to one generation, with nearly three quarters of all living Karens over the age of 60.
📖 Meaning & Origin
The life path number 22 is traditionally called the Master Builder, representing the ability to turn ambitious dreams into real, lasting achievements. People associated with 22 are thought to combine vision with discipline, making them capable of achieving things on a larger scale than most.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 65All 990,595 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1957Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Karen Through the Generations
Karen had one of the longer runs at the top of American baby naming, spending 42 years in the US top 10, which is a serious stretch by any measure. Its peak came in 1957 with 40,667 babies named Karen in a single year, and the all-time US total sits at 990,595 births. Of the estimated 812,962 living today, a huge 721,452 are over 60, while only 35,785 are under 30. That's a lopsided age distribution that tells the whole story: Karen exploded mid-century, faded fast, and almost nobody is naming babies Karen anymore. The average age of 65 lines up exactly with that postwar baby boom peak. The gap between all-time births and living count, roughly 177,000, reflects natural attrition given how old the name skews. This is a name that dominated its era completely and is now declining with the generation that carried it.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Karen
Karen is a given name and occasional surname. In English, it is a feminine given name derived from the name Katherine.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Karen's Scandinavian roots
📄 About the Name Karen
How Many People Have the Name Karen?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 818 people in the United States currently share the name Karen. That works out to roughly 1 in every 405,195 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Karen a Common or Rare Name?
Karen is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Karen Mean?
Karen means "pure, chaste" and comes from Scandinavian origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 22.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Karen in SSA data, approximately 0% are male and 100% are female.
When Was Karen Most Popular?
The name Karen reached peak popularity in 1957, with 40,667 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Karen?
Approximately 818 people named Karen live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 818. That works out to roughly 1 in 405,195 Americans.
Is Karen a rare name?
Karen is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 405,195 Americans has this name.
What does the name Karen mean?
Karen means "pure, chaste" and comes from Scandinavian origins.
Is Karen more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 0% of people named Karen are male and 100% are female.
When was Karen most popular?
Karen peaked in 1957 with 40,667 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.