Karri
Karri was the 11405th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 1976, when it ranked 725th with 202 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 993 places. More babies were named Karri in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kari) Norwegian pet form of Katrine (Katherine) · Norwegian, Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #11,405 girls, down 722 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 8girls
- Girls and boys
- 88% girls, 12% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1976202 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,499babies recorded
What does the name Karri mean?
Karri is a spelling of Kari, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kari's meaning and origin.
Kari is a Norwegian pet form of Katrine, the Scandinavian form of Katherine; Wiktionary also treats it in English as a match for Carrie or Cary. Katherine comes from Greek Aikaterinē, whose origin is unknown. DMNES notes that it is not related to Greek katharos, "pure", although that link influenced the spelling with -th-. Kari was most popular in the US in the 1970s. Separately, Kari is a Finnish surname meaning "rock, skerry".
Kari (Norwegian, “pet form of Katrine”)Αἰκατερίνη (Greek, “Aikaterinē, of unknown origin”)
How sure is this? Well established. Kari is clearly a form of Katherine; the origin of Katherine is unknown.
Other explanations you may read: Katherine means 'pure' (Greek katharos).
Related names: Katherine, Karin, Carrie, Kara.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kari', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Katherine', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Kari (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Karri popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,405 | #11,335 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020 | #10,683 | — | 9 | — |
| 2010 | #12,862 | — | 8 | — |
| 2000 | #11,239 | — | 8 | — |
| 1990 | #2,112 | — | 62 | — |
| 1980 | #1,222 | — | 108 | — |
| 1970 | #861 | — | 156 | — |
| 1960 | #1,289 | — | 73 | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Karri, counting every spelling?
Karri is a spelling of Kari, a name family that ranked #1,050 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #11,405 for Karri on its own. Together these spellings went to 217 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kari | 90 | #2,087 | 581 |
| Carrie | 63 | #2,726 | 330 |
| Cari | 10 | #9,580 | 132 |
| Kaari | 22 | #5,632 | 121 |
| Kerri | 10 | #9,787 | 60 |
| Karri | 8 | #11,405 | 46 |
| Karrie | 7 | #12,528 | 32 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Karri?
8 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Karri (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Karri born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,057 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Karri.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Karri?
About 4,200 people born in the US named Karri are alive today, with a median age of 51; half are between 43 and 57. That makes Karri mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Karri: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Karri, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Karri
What does Karri mean?
Karri is a spelling of Kari, which means “Norwegian pet form of Katrine (Katherine)” (Norwegian, Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Karri?
Karri was the 11405th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 8 babies. Its best year was 1976, when it ranked 725th with 202 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 993 places. More babies were named Karri in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Karri a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 88% girls, 12% boys given the name Karri in the US.