Karin
From Swedish Karin or Danish Karin, a medieval form of Katarina, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερῑ́νη (Aikaterī́nē).
Every Karin since 1907 — 28,731 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Karin
Karin is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1907, 28,731 American babies have been named Karin. Its peak came in 1970, when 1,051 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 Karin stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Karin 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 | — | — | 6 | #11,333 |
| 2024 | 13 | #8,187 | 8 | #9,422 |
| 2023 | 11 | #9,292 | 10 | #7,997 |
| 2022 | 15 | #7,456 | 15 | #6,008 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,258 | 6 | #11,446 |
| 2020 | 13 | #8,181 | 7 | #10,081 |
| 2019 | 17 | #6,875 | 7 | #10,292 |
| 2018 | 25 | #5,241 | — | — |
| 2017 | 30 | #4,630 | — | — |
| 2016 | 26 | #5,214 | — | — |
| 2015 | 29 | #4,788 | — | — |
| 2014 | 26 | #5,228 | — | — |
| 2013 | 37 | #4,042 | — | — |
| 2012 | 31 | #4,657 | — | — |
| 2011 | 29 | #4,863 | 6 | #11,569 |
| 2010 | 39 | #3,919 | — | — |
| 2009 | 43 | #3,706 | — | — |
| 2008 | 46 | #3,553 | — | — |
| 2007 | 41 | #3,882 | 9 | #8,579 |
| 2006 | 54 | #3,116 | 9 | #8,392 |
| 2005 | 46 | #3,340 | 5 | #12,389 |
| 2004 | 49 | #3,152 | 6 | #10,674 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2,857 | 5 | #11,837 |
| 2002 | 59 | #2,620 | 9 | #7,346 |
| 2001 | 71 | #2,273 | — | — |
| 2000 | 73 | #2,183 | — | — |
| 1995 | 87 | #1,693 | 6 | #8,339 |
| 1990 | 157 | #1,115 | 5 | #8,810 |
| 1985 | 196 | #830 | — | — |
| 1980 | 337 | #552 | — | — |
| 1975 | 503 | #403 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,051 | #278 | — | — |
| 1965 | 918 | #290 | — | — |
| 1960 | 738 | #358 | — | — |
| 1955 | 606 | #349 | — | — |
| 1950 | 360 | #423 | — | — |
| 1945 | 175 | #555 | — | — |
| 1940 | 129 | #616 | — | — |
| 1935 | 41 | #1,090 | — | — |
| 1930 | 21 | #1,781 | — | — |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,237 | — | — |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,466 | — | — |
| 1915 | 13 | #2,316 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Karin
- Karin Månsdotter Companion · 1550–1612
- Karin Dor Actor · 1938–2017
- Karin Schubert Actor · b. 1944
- Karin Boye Writer · 1900–1941
- Karin Fossum Writer · b. 1954
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Karin mean?
From Swedish Karin or Danish Karin, a medieval form of Katarina, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερῑ́νη (Aikaterī́nē).
How popular is the name Karin in 2025?
Karin did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Karin?
28,731 babies have been named Karin in the United States since 1907, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Karin most popular?
Karin peaked in 1970, when 1,051 newborns received the name.
Is Karin a boy or girl name?
Karin is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Karin rising or falling?
Karin is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Karin?
Well-known people named Karin include Karin Månsdotter (companion), Karin Dor (actor), Karin Schubert (actor).