Keren
Keren was the 2632nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 66 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 1240th with 189 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 896 places. More babies were named Keren in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Karen) Danish form of Catherine · Danish, Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #2,632 girls, down 1,392 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 66girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2019189 babies
- Total since 1880
- 5,014babies recorded
What does the name Keren mean?
Keren is a spelling of Karen, pronounced the same way, so it shares Karen's meaning and origin.
Karen is a Danish vernacular form of Catherine that emerged in medieval Denmark, as Wiktionary notes. Catherine comes from Greek Aikaterinē, of uncertain origin; DMNES notes it is unrelated to Greek katharos 'pure', despite the later spelling Katharina. Karen came into American use in the 1920s and was very common in the 1950s and 1960s. Since about 2018 the name has also been used as slang for a demanding, entitled woman. Armenian Karen, a men's name, is unrelated.
Karen (Danish, “Catherine”)Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterinē) (Ancient Greek, “Catherine”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Other explanations you may read: Catherine means 'pure'.
Related names: Catherine, Karin, Caren, Karena.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Karen', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Katherine', DMNES (Durham University)
Keren popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,632 | 66 |
| 2020 | #1,240 | 184 |
| 2010 | #1,599 | 136 |
| 2000 | #1,751 | 100 |
| 1990 | #2,114 | 62 |
| 1980 | #2,461 | 39 |
| 1970 | #2,891 | 24 |
| 1960 | #5,428 | 7 |
| 1950 | #5,008 | 6 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Keren, counting every spelling?
Keren is a spelling of Karen, a name family that ranked #973 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,632 for Keren on its own. Together these spellings went to 247 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen | 175 | #1,281 | 1,015 |
| Keren | 66 | #2,632 | 478 |
| Karine | 6 | #14,039 | 29 |
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 Keren?
66 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Keren (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Keren 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 127 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Keren.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Keren?
About 4,900 people born in the US named Keren are alive today, with a median age of 20; half are between 11 and 35. That makes Keren mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Keren by state
How common Keren was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Maryland (5.3×), North Carolina (2.0×), Texas (1.9×), Florida (1.7×). In 40 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Keren: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Keren, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Keren
What does Keren mean?
Keren is a spelling of Karen, which means “Danish form of Catherine” (Danish, Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Keren?
Keren was the 2632nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 66 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 1240th with 189 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 896 places. More babies were named Keren in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Keren a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Keren in the US.
Where is Keren most popular?
In 2021–2025, Keren was most common in Maryland (0.31 per 1,000 girls), followed by North Carolina and Texas.