Carin

Primarily a girl's name of Swedish origin with 4,516 recorded births. Also given to 80 boys.

Girl's nameAlso boy'sRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

a female given name, a less common anglicism of Carine

Carin is a girl's and boy's baby name of Swedish origin, a Scandinavian variant of Karen — from the Greek Aikaterine (Catherine), meaning 'pure.' The simplified spelling is the traditional Scandinavian form, widely used in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

Carin has the clean Nordic simplicity of Scandinavian names — unadorned, functional, and quietly beautiful. It's Karen before Karen became a cultural meme: the original, unstained.

EtymologyShow more

Carin is built from 5 letters and two syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Swedish naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.

The interplay of consonants and vowels in Carin creates its characteristic sharp, distinct quality. Two-syllable names are the most common length in American naming, hitting a natural speech rhythm that works across formal and informal contexts.

At a Glance

4,516

Total births

Since 1939

1970

Peak

175 births

1939

First recorded

78 years of data

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Popularity Over Time

Carin has 76+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1939.

First appeared: 1939Peak: 1970 (175 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Carin
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	37	#13682	▼
2000s	138	#9190	▼
1990s	300	#4219	▼
1980s	724	#1703	▼
1970s	1,394	#954	▲
1960s	1,107	#1030	▲
1950s	593	#1341	▲
1940s	218	#2466	▲
1930s	5	#4336	—

The Story of Carin

A Gen X name

Peaking in 1970, Carin is a Gen X staple. Girls named Carin are most likely born between 1960 and 1980.

How rare is Carin?

With 4,516 total births on record, Carin remains a rare and distinctive pick.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1939, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1970s with 1,394 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Carin by the numbers

Would fill 94 school buses
Meeting one Carin per day would take 12.4 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(76 years, 1939–2016)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Carin
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2016	6	#14688	+1 (20.0%)
2015	5	#16962	-3 (-37.5%)
2014	8	#12161	-4 (-33.3%)
2011	12	#9271	+6 (100.0%)
2010	6	#15328	-3 (-33.3%)
2009	9	#11641	+4 (80.0%)
2008	5	#18052	-18 (-78.3%)
2007	23	#5938	+13 (130.0%)
2006	10	#10743	0
2005	10	#10270	-4 (-28.6%)
2004	14	#7912	+1 (7.7%)
2003	13	#8077	0
2002	13	#7910	-3 (-18.8%)
2001	16	#6675	-9 (-36.0%)
2000	25	#4678	-3 (-10.7%)
1999	28	#4102	+10 (55.6%)
1998	18	#5614	+7 (63.6%)
1997	11	#7849	-10 (-47.6%)
1996	21	#4759	-1 (-4.5%)
1995	22	#4547	-1 (-4.3%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Carin as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Carin has also been given to 80 boys in the U.S. since 2020.

#6504

Current rank

Total births

2023

Peak year

Compare Carin as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Carin is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 80 recorded births.

When was Carin most popular?

Carin reached its peak popularity in 1970 with 175 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Carin?

Carin is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 4,516 babies in the U.S. since 1939. Its peak was in 1970.

Can Carin be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Carin is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it is not currently ranked. As a boy's name, it ranks #6504.

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1939–2016