Female name
Karen
872 births (England and Wales, 1996–2025), peaking in 1996. Expression number: 22.
Origin
From Danish Karen, a vernacular form of Catherine that emerged in medieval Denmark. The term later acquired a distinct contemporary social meaning. Its association with a middle-aged woman is often attributed to the name’s relative popularity among baby boomer and Generation X cohorts. The term’s derogatory usage was subsequently popularized through African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).From Wiktionary, entry “Karen”, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Do you know a Karen?
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How many babies received it
From the official birth registers.
In England and Wales
Peak in 1996: 76 births. 872 births from 1996 to 2025. A name given mostly in the 1990s and 2000s. It is still given: 26 births from 2021 to 2025.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Baby names in England and Wales, Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the United States
Peak in 1957: 40,668 births. 990,774 births from 1880 to 2025. A name given mostly in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. At its peak, it ranked 3rd among girls' names in 1965. It really came into use around 1912. It is still given: 1,020 births from 2021 to 2025.
Source: Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names, public domain.
In Ireland
Peak in 1977: 570 births. 12,050 births from 1964 to 2025. A name given mostly in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. At its peak, it ranked 5th among girls' names in 1977. Fewer than ten births recorded from 2021 to 2025.
Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies' Names, CC BY 4.0.
Elsewhere in the world
The name in the birth records of the 10 countries we track. The period covered varies from country to country.
| Country | Births | Period | Best rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 13,940 | 1900–2025 | 73rd in 1975 |
| Argentina | 3,243 | 2012–2023 | — |
| Switzerland | 1,794* | 1915–2025 | — |
| Quebec | 1,253 | 1980–2025 | 86th in 1980 |
* These are the people living in the country, counted by year of birth, not the number of births.
Source: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms, Etalab Open Licence 2.0; RENAPER, Nombres propios en Argentina, CC BY 4.0 (the registry doesn't record sex); Federal Statistical Office, First names of the population by year of birth, free use with attribution; Retraite Québec, Banque de prénoms, CC BY 4.0.
The numbers of the name
Each letter has a value: A = 1, B = 2… I = 9, then J = 1 again (Pythagorean method). We add them up, then reduce to a single digit, except 11, 22 and 33.
■ vowel · ■ consonant
Expression
All the letters: talents, the way you act.
22
the large-scale builder (master number)
2 + 1 + 9 + 5 + 5 = 22
Soul
The vowels: what drives you deep down.
6
responsibility, harmony, commitment to others
1 + 5 = 6
Personality
The consonants: what others notice first.
7
reflection, inner life, seeking
2 + 9 + 5 = 16 → 7
- Digits missing from the name
- 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
- Most frequent digit
- 5 · freedom, change, movement
The meaning of the numbers comes from numerological tradition; it isn't a measure of your personality. A full portrait needs your first and middle names, your last name at birth, and your date of birth. How we calculate
Your name and theirs
The number of each name, and the number of the bond, which comes from adding them together. A symbolic game: what your two names say together, to be read as a metaphor, not as a verdict on your relationship.