Kari
From Norwegian Kari, diminutive of Katrine.
Every Kari since 1934 — 60,627 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kari
Kari is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,087 in 2025 with 90 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1934, 60,627 American babies have been named Kari. Its peak came in 1975, when 2,243 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kari stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kari year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90 | #2,087 | 23 | #4,470 |
| 2024 | 109 | #1,845 | 45 | #2,853 |
| 2023 | 116 | #1,768 | 41 | #3,034 |
| 2022 | 130 | #1,631 | 31 | #3,657 |
| 2021 | 136 | #1,548 | 43 | #2,889 |
| 2020 | 146 | #1,471 | 33 | #3,375 |
| 2019 | 141 | #1,534 | 26 | #4,061 |
| 2018 | 139 | #1,560 | 26 | #4,055 |
| 2017 | 132 | #1,640 | 22 | #4,533 |
| 2016 | 101 | #1,979 | 13 | #6,531 |
| 2015 | 114 | #1,826 | 10 | #7,771 |
| 2014 | 111 | #1,832 | 5 | #13,078 |
| 2013 | 113 | #1,811 | — | — |
| 2012 | 112 | #1,816 | 10 | #7,846 |
| 2011 | 89 | #2,150 | 14 | #6,101 |
| 2010 | 114 | #1,803 | 5 | #13,289 |
| 2009 | 129 | #1,714 | 7 | #10,438 |
| 2008 | 135 | #1,660 | 7 | #10,482 |
| 2007 | 150 | #1,533 | 9 | #8,578 |
| 2006 | 165 | #1,384 | 6 | #11,355 |
| 2005 | 159 | #1,363 | 6 | #10,794 |
| 2004 | 143 | #1,439 | 6 | #10,673 |
| 2003 | 146 | #1,379 | 8 | #8,240 |
| 2002 | 227 | #976 | 10 | #6,802 |
| 2001 | 253 | #897 | 6 | #9,924 |
| 2000 | 293 | #783 | 6 | #9,713 |
| 1995 | 489 | #502 | 10 | #5,711 |
| 1990 | 1,107 | #256 | 10 | #5,192 |
| 1985 | 1,721 | #166 | 15 | #3,147 |
| 1980 | 1,767 | #158 | 14 | #3,178 |
| 1975 | 2,221 | #129 | 22 | #2,091 |
| 1970 | 1,667 | #194 | 23 | #1,874 |
| 1965 | 948 | #282 | 6 | #3,721 |
| 1960 | 749 | #351 | 5 | #4,333 |
| 1955 | 169 | #730 | — | — |
| 1950 | 30 | #1,744 | — | — |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,523 | — | — |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,647 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kari
- Kari Byron Painter · b. 1974
- Kari Hotakainen Writer · b. 1957
- Kari Traa Politician · b. 1974
- Kari Matchett Actor · b. 1970
- Kari Wuhrer Actor · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kari mean?
From Norwegian Kari, diminutive of Katrine.
How popular is the name Kari in 2025?
Kari ranked #2,087 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 90 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kari?
60,627 babies have been named Kari in the United States since 1934, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kari most popular?
Kari peaked in 1975, when 2,243 newborns received the name.
Is Kari a boy or girl name?
Kari is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kari rising or falling?
Kari has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Kari?
Well-known people named Kari include Kari Byron (painter), Kari Hotakainen (writer), Kari Traa (politician).