Kareen
Primarily a girl's name of Danish origin with 1,306 recorded births. Also given to 742 boys.
Meaning & Origin
Kareen sits in the vintage zone of American naming: first recorded in 1921, peaking in 1977, with 1,306 total births across its history.
The clean, contemporary quality of its ending — among the most common endings in modern American names — keeps the name compact and easy to pair with longer middle names or surnames.
Kareen is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Kareen is a girl's and boy's baby name of Scandinavian origin, a variant of Karen, the Danish and Norwegian form of Katherine, from the Greek Aikaterine possibly meaning 'pure.'
Kareen's double-e ending gives the popular Karen a slightly more exotic, Scandinavian-influenced look. Karen was one of the most popular American girl names in the 1950s and 1960s, and Kareen offers a distinctive spelling variant while maintaining the same clean, elegant sound.
EtymologyShow more
Though Kareen dates back to 1921 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Danish classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Kareen’s 1,306 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Kareen has 86+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1921.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | #16270 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 38 | #14954 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 108 | #10670 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 136 | #7191 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 180 | #4892 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 237 | #3298 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 192 | #2962 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 152 | #3028 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 175 | #2328 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 78 | #3137 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 5 | #5517 | — |
The Story of Kareen
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1977, Kareen is a Gen X staple. Girls named Kareen are most likely born between 1967 and 1987.
How rare is Kareen?
With 1,306 total births on record, Kareen remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1921, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1970s with 237 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Kareen by the numbers
- Would fill 27 school buses
- Meeting one Kareen per day would take 3.6 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(86 years, 1921–2020)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | #16270 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16843 |
| 2017 | 6 | #14987 |
| 2016 | 7 | #13589 |
| 2013 | 6 | #15548 |
| 2012 | 6 | #15898 |
| 2010 | 8 | #12856 |
| 2009 | 13 | #9133 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12088 |
| 2007 | 5 | #19002 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10236 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13709 |
| 2004 | 16 | #7235 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9354 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7619 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10534 |
| 2000 | 13 | #7788 |
| 1999 | 13 | #7456 |
| 1998 | 15 | #6527 |
| 1997 | 10 | #8673 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Kareen as a Boy's Name
Though more common for girls, Kareen has a notable history as a boy's name too, with 742 births since 1972.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kareen a boy's or girl's name?
When was Kareen most popular?
How popular is the name Kareen?
Can Kareen be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1921–2020