Karen

Meaning of Karen

Karen is a Danish name that means "pure". It's a short form of Katherine.

Karen has Danish roots — browse every Danish baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Karen

After ranking as high as #141 in 2003, Karen has fallen out of the US top 1,000 as of 2025.

Notable people named Karen

• Karen Allen
  Actress (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
• Karen Gillan
  Actress (Doctor Who, Guardians)
• Karen O
  Musician (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
• Karen Black
  Actress (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces)
• Karen Uhlenbeck
  Mathematician (Abel Prize winner)

More Danish names

Questions about the name Karen

What does the name Karen mean?

Karen means karen is a danish name that means "pure". it's a short form of katherine, and it comes from Danish origins.

Is Karen a boy's or a girl's name?

Karen is most commonly used as a girl's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Karen?

Karen did not appear in the top 1,000 baby names in 2025, which makes it a genuinely uncommon pick.

When was Karen most popular?

Karen peaked at #141 in 2003.