Comments
Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
I'm glad the memes died.
1
1
I feel for women named Karen who are actually very kind people. Everyone has given this name such a bad reputation and I'm not even sure who or why they even decided to use this name in the first place. If you're someone named Karen looking at this, I respect you.
7
7
Notice how it quickly falls off the popularity chart after 2019! Poor Karen, a lovely name that did not deserve to be ruined! Hopefully the internet term can be left in the past.
3
3
Karen Chen is an American figure skater. She is a 2022 Olympic Games team event silver medalist, two-time CS U.S. Classic bronze medalist (2016, 2017), the 2015 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb bronze medalist, the 2017 U.S. national champion, 2022 U.S. national silver medalist, and a three-time U.S. national bronze medalist (2015, 2018, 2021).
1
1
As a 13 year old named Karen I know first hand how tough it is to have this name. I’ve been taunted and made fun of and I’m quite frankly tired of it! The thing is, this name is also wonderful and beautiful. I was named after my grandmother who was a lovely person. So this name, while it is hard to have, really isn’t bad at all. This name has made me strong. I’ve seen all the suggestions for using nick names, but I don’t want to. I’m proud of my name. I WILL NEVER CHANGE MY NAME! Please consider naming your child this, because we could use more people named Karen in the world.
7
7
Stay strong, all you Karens out there. This name has a rich and beautiful history, one that shouldn’t be tarnished due to internet ignorance. How sad would it be if we allowed what happened to names like Dick to happen again here? I will say straight up, I am a male, people might say it’s none of my business, why should I care etc., but I hate what internet culture has done with this name.
I just want to tell the 13 year old named Karen that her comment is such an inspiration, and I wholeheartedly agree, I hope people will keep naming their kids Karen because this name deserves to live on.
3
I just want to tell the 13 year old named Karen that her comment is such an inspiration, and I wholeheartedly agree, I hope people will keep naming their kids Karen because this name deserves to live on.
3
It really is a shame this name is in danger of extinction at this point. It's actually quite a decent name and I know a lot of women called Karen who are wonderful people.
14
14
Honestly, I have seen many “ANOTHER KAREN” videos, but truthfully I have the sweetest aunt with that name and I want the hate to stop.
14
14
Corrine is a nice alternative.
2
2
I for one think Karen is a lovely name to have. No matter what race you are. I hate that the name is being used in a negative light now. I'm black and my black grandmother's name is Karen. People really need to stop being harsh about this name. It's not okay.
15
15
It's very unfortunate the reputation this name has gotten over the past decade or so. I feel that it's undeserved. I would certainly choose Karin or Katherine first, but Karen is not a bad name.
10
10
Good thing the Karen memes died.
10
10
This name isn't bad. Like I've never met anyone bad with the name Karen, and let's be real you probably haven't either.
8
8
Tbh I thought about shaming this name til I read the comments.
Sorry for underestimating you :(
7
Sorry for underestimating you :(
7
The people in the comment section including the downvoters (not all of them) do indeed live up to this name. I've never seen a name get as much ardent defense here as any other names which gets wrongfully sh#t on this website as the name, 'Karen', especially when it comes to a meme they are outraged by. And of course, someone has to use the misogyny card to their defense of the name.
-10
-10
Karen Mok (born Karen Morris (Chinese: 莫文蔚)) is a Hong Kong pop diva who is one of the leading Asian pop singers and actresses with a career spanning three decades. She is the first female Hong Kong singer to win the Golden Melody Award and has won it a total of three times. She has released 17 solo studio albums, starred in over 40 movies, has over 15 million followers on leading Chinese social media site Weibo and holds the Guinness World Record for the Highest Altitude Mass-Attended Music Concert.
3
3
This is not a bad name by itself. It’s not fair to assume something just by a name. But Karen has gotten the meme treatment, along with Sharon, Becky, Chad, Kyle, and Brandon. And it shouldn’t have.
6
6
Misogynistic people use Karen to mean b***h nowadays. So bored of people using this name to belittle all women and girls they don't like. Karen is a nice name, it should never have been turned into a slur. Very tactless of people.
12
12
Karen Friedman Hill. The one the only.
3
3
It has a nice touch to it.
6
6
As a native of a Los Angeles suburb and as someone named Karen, it is my pleasure to announce that the next mayor of Los Angeles will be...
Karen Bass!
She will be the first woman and the second African American to lead the City of Angeles. I'd also like to honor L.A.'s first African American mayor Tom Bradley (1917-1998)(Served as mayor from 1973-1993).
Some interesting facts about Los Angeles and the surrounding area...
* Los Angeles is known as one of the megacities of the world. A classification that has slightly different honorees depending on the source but is generally used to classify cities that have a population of 10 million or more. These are the world's largest cities. This list includes New York City(The only other American city on the list.), London, Paris, Tokyo, Jakarta Indonesia, Cairo Egypt, Lagos Nigeria, and Bogota Columbia.
* Los Angeles County, of which Los Angeles city is the county seat, is the most populous county in the United States with an estimated population of 9,861,224 as of 2022. (Mayor-Elect Karen Bass will have jurisdiction over the city only.)
* 40 out of the 50 U.S. states have a smaller population than Los Angeles county.
* Los Angeles is a Global City. A classification given to cities that serve as primary nodes in the global economic network. This classification also changes with the authority doing the classification but the American journal "Foreign Policy" has Los Angeles ranked in 5th place in 2021 and includes cities like Chicago, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
-Wikipedia.
8
Karen Bass!
She will be the first woman and the second African American to lead the City of Angeles. I'd also like to honor L.A.'s first African American mayor Tom Bradley (1917-1998)(Served as mayor from 1973-1993).
Some interesting facts about Los Angeles and the surrounding area...
* Los Angeles is known as one of the megacities of the world. A classification that has slightly different honorees depending on the source but is generally used to classify cities that have a population of 10 million or more. These are the world's largest cities. This list includes New York City(The only other American city on the list.), London, Paris, Tokyo, Jakarta Indonesia, Cairo Egypt, Lagos Nigeria, and Bogota Columbia.
* Los Angeles County, of which Los Angeles city is the county seat, is the most populous county in the United States with an estimated population of 9,861,224 as of 2022. (Mayor-Elect Karen Bass will have jurisdiction over the city only.)
* 40 out of the 50 U.S. states have a smaller population than Los Angeles county.
* Los Angeles is a Global City. A classification given to cities that serve as primary nodes in the global economic network. This classification also changes with the authority doing the classification but the American journal "Foreign Policy" has Los Angeles ranked in 5th place in 2021 and includes cities like Chicago, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
-Wikipedia.
8
I have a friend named Karen, she is kind and awesome. You should call someone a Karen if AND ONLY IF their name is Karen.
17
17
It's a good name but sadly the meme ruined it.
5
5
Hating this name because of the memes is basically thinking your name defines your personality. It doesn't.
6
6
I feel really bad for all the good people named Karen who now have to deal with how this meme has really tainted the name to so many people. I hoped this would pass soon, but this one seems like it will be around for a bit, so I can't encourage anyone to give the name to a daughter currently. Sure, you could and gamble that everyone will have forgotten the meme by the time she's old enough to understand it herself, but is it really worth the risk when there are so many other lovely names out there? I do think it will be usable again someday, but how long is anyone's guess.
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10
I don't think anyone should name their baby Karen because of all the hate it's gotten and still receives. Is it fair? No it's evil to be honest. You can't expect a kid to put up with all that negativity over a name and fully understand why people just feel it to be hateful. A name is what we use to distinguish ourselves from others. It's our identity and it's sick how a few people made a meme using this name as a symbol for hate and did not care about the damage it has done. I can't imagine feeling self conscious about your own name over a tacky meme. If it's not a meme, they'll use it for hurricanes. It's messed up. This name will eventually come around again but will take some time.
5
5
Do not call someone a Karen unless their name is Karen. It's just a name!
9
9
If you bully and tease people who happen to be named Karen, something is really wrong with you. Why do people think they have to be cruel to others to build themselves up?
15
15
I like Karen as a person's name, but not as an informal term. Who came up with those memes?
7
7
I had a fairly neutral opinion of this name for most of my life. The Karens I knew were generally middle-aged to older and the first ones that came to mind were my aunt and the girl from Frosty the Snowman.
However, more recently I acquired a neighbor named Karen who is not exactly what I'd call a good role model for her family. Then when the name became a meme, it just solidified that negative association in my mind. So at this point, unfortunately, I would have to pass on using this name. Maybe one day I will meet a nice Karen who can restore its wholesomeness for me.
1
However, more recently I acquired a neighbor named Karen who is not exactly what I'd call a good role model for her family. Then when the name became a meme, it just solidified that negative association in my mind. So at this point, unfortunately, I would have to pass on using this name. Maybe one day I will meet a nice Karen who can restore its wholesomeness for me.
1
People who say that this comment section "lives up to the stereotype" -- no one is being mean to others, except you who are making fun of them because of their name. People are just having genuine emotions (which they've had nowhere else to express online) and you are belittling them and acting like those emotions don't deserve to exist and should just be stifled. Which is sad, because it's like someone has a name and people take their mental health less seriously. Scroll down and there are people who actually committed suicide because of the bullying. I'm not saying people with this name makes them oppressed, but from what I've seen it does lend to bullying. Have some empathy.
11
11
Would be a good name if the reputation of it wasn't totally tarnished by memes. I hope it can make a comeback someday and reach the popularity and good fame it deserves.
10
10
Some of y'all really live up to the stereotype and meme in this comment section lmao.
Also the meme isn't about all people named Karen, its just a collective term for the (I forgot if this site allows swears so I'll keep this clean in case) belligerent middle-aged white women who shout THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT in your local Walgreens over a $3 bag of Fritos.
I do think it's a pretty name tho.
-6
Also the meme isn't about all people named Karen, its just a collective term for the (I forgot if this site allows swears so I'll keep this clean in case) belligerent middle-aged white women who shout THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT in your local Walgreens over a $3 bag of Fritos.
I do think it's a pretty name tho.
-6
Don’t care at all for the memes, but this name is really your average Facebook mom.
1
1
The name Karen originates as a sacred name, there is a holy energy in it and in ancient languages means Ray of light. As a researcher I find it makes sense that society sometimes puts down things that are sacred or holy, if your name is Karen and you are reading this don’t forget your origins are sacred and holy… from the light. This world doesn’t always align with things of the light, the good, the kind and tries to make them look bad.
I’m sorry for that, we have 2 Karens in our extended family and they are both the coolest and best people ever!
10
I’m sorry for that, we have 2 Karens in our extended family and they are both the coolest and best people ever!
10
This is a pretty name, I like it.
12
12
Also French: https://meilleursprenoms.com/popularite-prenom/Karen
2
2
I associate this name with pretty face brunettes who are the wives of mobsters. Probably because of Karen Hill (Henry Hills' lady) and Karen Grevano.
Funny thing I've noticed: most Karens are brunette or redheads. (Carpenter, Allan, Black, Kilgarif, Gillan etc)
4
Funny thing I've noticed: most Karens are brunette or redheads. (Carpenter, Allan, Black, Kilgarif, Gillan etc)
4
The meme was never really all that funny to begin with, BTW. I just see it as “complaining about other people complaining” and it’s really snowballed over the last 3 years! (Since 2019).
10
10
The only Karen I care for is Karen Walker.
2
2
This is a character’s name from the famous cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. It’s also synonymous with another widely known meaning which I won’t talk about.
1
1
My birth name no longer feels like mine anymore. It’s been twisted to mean a person filled with hate and anger and used worldwide from toddlers to adults to celebrities to politicians. No other name has ever been singled out to this extent. None. People who find it funny to throw this new meaning of this name around so casually have no idea of the psychological damage this has done. There are young girls being bullied by this. Laughing at those who have been hurt by this and making a joke of it shows that they are a bully. To say just get over it is easy when it’s not your name. Try stepping in these shoes for a while and you might understand the damage this can cause.
19
19
This name deserves respect! No one should feel bad about their name just because of some stupid meme!
26
26
I feel people think that the memes ruined this name but personally Karen isn’t really a nice name. I think it’s a bit basic, no offense to any Karen’s out there. But if you are a a young kid with the name Karen and keep getting made fun of for your name either ignore them or you can go by one of these nicknames I’ve come up with :) : Karrie, Kk, Rennie, Rena, Aren, Arie.
0
0
I think it’s an absolute shame what we have done to Karen. It is a beautiful name and there have been so many wonderful Karen’s throughout history, both real and fictional. When I think of Karen, I think of Karen Carpenter, one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, or Karen, the little girl from the Frosty the Snowman Christmas special. Or heck, Karen the computer from Spongebob, my childhood. There was nothing bad about this name until some folks decided it was cool to use it as an insult in the past couple of years. Now we will probably never see another Karen again, and I think that’s just sad. If you are a Karen and you read this, just know that there is nothing wrong with your name, it is beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of! And don’t let anyone tell you different.
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18
Usages: Flemish, Dutch, Dutch (Antillean), Afrikaans
Meaning: Dutch and Afrikaans borrowing of Karen.
http://www.names.be/meisjesnamen.html?met=Karen&sort=beldesc
https://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nvb/populariteit/naam/Karen
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Wessels
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Zoid
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Meiring
(Information from name #9068 originally submitted by user maggie_angel)
8
Meaning: Dutch and Afrikaans borrowing of Karen.
http://www.names.be/meisjesnamen.html?met=Karen&sort=beldesc
https://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nvb/populariteit/naam/Karen
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Wessels
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Zoid
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Meiring
(Information from name #9068 originally submitted by user maggie_angel)
8
Karen is just a name, not something you should call mean.
19
19
My name has been victimized by internet losers who have absolutely no lives whatsoever. KAREN IS MY NAME AND I AM PROUD OF IT!
18
18
A famous bearer of the name is Karen Ann Quinlan (1954-85), an important figure in the history of the 'right to die' controversy.
7
7
I think the name has a nice meaning, it sounds nice, and looks pretty, but all the "Karen" memes and stuff have ruined it. To all the Karens out there, you have a lovely name!
10
10
I feel like the new use of Karen is not fun to have. This name never bothered me, but I would never name my daughter it. The name is a slur now for an entitled, angry middle-aged white woman (especially one who is hypocritically liberal and secretly racist).
-13
-13
When I first heard the name Karen as a kid, I immediately associated it with the word "caring" just because of the similar sound. I'm a young adult now, but for me, this name has never lost that warmth. When I meet someone named Karen, my first impression is just delight. It's simple, classic, and very lovely!
18
18
Along with Ruth and Carol, this is the most grandma name in the book. :|
-12
-12
It's a good name for good people. Social media ruined it by giving it a fictional stereotype. I have no idea who these loud obnoxious people are but supposedly we all have money and yachts.
If their name isn't KAREN, don't call them KAREN.
However, if you can help me get a yacht, Venmo me.
14
If their name isn't KAREN, don't call them KAREN.
However, if you can help me get a yacht, Venmo me.
14
Wasn’t even a good name in the first place.
-13
-13
Karen Sirko, keyboardist for Daisy Jones and the Six (played by Suki Waterhouse).
8
8
My name is Karen. The memes bothered me for a while, and I would wonder “Why did they pick my name, of all the names?” Like other commenters here named Karen, I used to steel myself for teasing when I introduced myself but I haven’t actually experienced much, aside from trolls on Twitter. The memes are kind of dying down and people in real life aren’t usually jerks the way they are online. Stay strong, Karens. It’s a fine name!
29
29
There is a growing level of shame and humiliation that I experience having this name. I now get anxiety introducing myself, speaking in meetings, getting carded at restaurants, and even family members saying my name in public. I’ve asked to be called by a different name in public by my family, and when they accidentally slip and use my real name I cringe with embarrassment hoping no one heard it being said. Hearing my name out loud has now given me a reflex reaction of humiliation. I now give a fake name for take out orders and anywhere else that I can for this reason but to also prevent ruining someone’s day for having fear or anticipation with dealing with the stereotype of this name.
4
4
When I hear Karen I think of the stunning Karen Dianne Baldwin & of the character Karen Hill from Goodfellas - a bloody classic!
Please stop using this name to bully people! It is unhealthy and not good for the soul. Leave Karens alone. :)
Karen if you're reading this I think your name is wonderful, it means 'clarity' and has been used since the medieval times - how cool is that!
16
Please stop using this name to bully people! It is unhealthy and not good for the soul. Leave Karens alone. :)
Karen if you're reading this I think your name is wonderful, it means 'clarity' and has been used since the medieval times - how cool is that!
16
Not a bad name, in my opinion (though not in my top ten). Quite pretty and has a nice sound. But I agree that the meme is unfortunate and is probably the reason for this name’s lower rating on this site (57% at the time of writing).
You have to remember though that memes have a lifespan and by the time a baby Karen today grows up and is at the stage in school where bullying is a possibility then would the meme still be around?
Seriously, just use the name for your baby girl if you want to.
16
You have to remember though that memes have a lifespan and by the time a baby Karen today grows up and is at the stage in school where bullying is a possibility then would the meme still be around?
Seriously, just use the name for your baby girl if you want to.
16
Karen/Karin is actually a pretty common name for women in Germanic-speaking European countries such as the Netherlands, Germany/Austria/German-speaking Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. I’ve also heard of some younger Hispanic women (from Mexico/Central America/the Dominican Republic/Venezuela/Colombia/Ecuador/Peru) with the name Karen, so I don’t think that it really screams “overprivileged, 40-something, White-American woman from suburbia”! (To me, that would be Debbie/Becky/Dawn/Lori/Denise).
3
3
I know a Karen, she is outgoing kind and thoughtful. It is unfortunate that this name now has a negative meme associated with it.
22
22
Pretty but too associated with the memes...
-5
-5
For those of you who are interested, there are a few petitions on change.org to stop the name Karen from being used in such a derogatory way, and for the bullying. I suggest you sign them. These people are trying to get the name banned off of social media platforms. You may also do a google search under Karen petition. The name Karen is beautiful and should be kept that way, also with its original meaning. Thank you and may God bless you and give you strength and love.
16
16
You could say the name Karen is unfortunately caught in the crossfire of an unrelated social media meme, but the fact that it's based on the name itself twists the knife that much more. It's not a bad name. Incidentally held onto some popularity longer than similar girls' names that blew up in the Baby Boom period, but now it's ironically surpassed all of them in having a certain reputation.
It was clearly on its way out of style already, but now it's certainly ruined for a generation. At the same time, you're a terrible person if you mock and ridicule real people who happen to have this name.
7
It was clearly on its way out of style already, but now it's certainly ruined for a generation. At the same time, you're a terrible person if you mock and ridicule real people who happen to have this name.
7
This is a perfectly fine name ruined by stupid internet memes. C'mon youtubers! People have this name and y'all need to be more considerate!
10
10
Karen Brewer was Kristy Thomas’s step sister in the Baby Sitter Club by Ann M. Martin.
6
6
Wow, it seems sort of like a therapy session here. Kind of sad that in 2021 we still continue to make fun of others, especially for their name. I know that's what humans will do. People like to make fun of you for being different and that's not okay. If they don't like something, they make fun of you. I used to get teased as well for my name, a lot. I think it's ridiculous to make fun of this name. I agree with many of the commenters. We should stop this madness and I don't know...mature? I'm saying this as a member of Gen Z, one who's friends constantly call people "Karens". Karen is a name that is so common and so well known, too. There are many people with this name who don't fit the stereotypical complaining 47-65 year old woman with a short pixie cut and frosted highlights. The woman who wants to see the manager because she doesn't want to pay for her groceries. The memes are still well known, though. They're all across the media and YouTube. Some people even use the meme to gain views or seem trendy for popularity. I personally think we should call out the people for who they are. It's ridiculous to keep screaming "Karen!" like it's some sort of label or category. The correct term is "People who always overreact" or "People who always complain about small things". Those are the people we should be talking about, right? I mean, they are the "Karen". Let's stop using this name for this, okay? Karen is just a name at the end of the day. I hope that the memes will die out soon. Karen's out there in the world who feel upset because of your name because of the memes, don't. It'll be okay, don't let them get to your head. Show the people who scream "Karen!" who a true Karen is.
I know one who's my age, very popular girl. She isn't made fun of that I know of, at least. I like this name generally, but it doesn't work with my surname. Plus, the memes are way too high right now. If you want to use this name, you should. Especially if you're honoring someone.
18
I know one who's my age, very popular girl. She isn't made fun of that I know of, at least. I like this name generally, but it doesn't work with my surname. Plus, the memes are way too high right now. If you want to use this name, you should. Especially if you're honoring someone.
18
I don’t know, I kind of like this name. The memes will fall into disuse at some point in the near future, anyway.
21
21
Well this name has been ruined forever.
-10
-10
This name is lovely and gorgeous. So many negative comments, but I respect your opinion. I don't know Karen memes either.
14
14
My mom's name is Karen and I won't use it for a first name, but definitely my daughter's middle name! It's such a sweet name and I would use it as a first name, but name bullying is a thing now, and whoever makes "jokes" about someone being a Karen, I hope your name gets made fun of too. It's offensive to call someone a Karen too, why did we have to name a rude person such a great name?
22
22
It’s unfair however it’s not going away. Our name Karen is still our name... here’s my take on the ridicule. It does not have any effect on my life or my family. Tik Tok made ridicule of so many issues and this is just one. My profession is my success as I am, my name has been very good to me and I wouldn’t change it.. ever.
13
13
Sorry, but Karen's negative implications will linger for a long time. Unfortunately, this is how the world works. To the people in the comments, maybe you're a "Karen" because you're always whining and wishing bad things on others. You have a choice to either cope and seethe, or get over it.
-14
-14
I’m in tears every single day because of the name mocking and “jokes”. Anyone who finds this “funny” is just a terrible person.
16
16
I think Karen's a fine name, even if it's old fashioned. I wouldn't use it, but I like it. It's kinda sad that this name has been destroyed in recent years. If you're named Karen, that's fine with me!
10
10
I've always liked the name Karen. It's a sweet, down-to-earth name that means "Warm-hearted, pure, and beloved." But this current trend of using the name Karen as an insult disgusts me to no end. Innocent girls and women who are actually named Karen are being attacked, both verbally and physically, simply because of their name! The meme that started this trend has destroyed a name that at one time was simply a pretty name. It's time to take back Karen as a name and retire it as an insult.
21
21
Anyone who is ok with the destroying of this name and see it as dramatic for people to be hurt by it can volunteer to have their name destroyed next.
27
27
The constant hate and mocking of my name has made me depressed to the point of wanting to harm myself. It’s amazing how people who call themselves progressive feel so poised and righteous while utterly destroying the innocent name of so many women of varying ages. This is beyond simply stereotyping at this point, this is straight up bullying and psychological abuse for no reason. However if anyone with this name dares to speak up about how hurtful it is, we are gaslighted and told it’s too late the name is already destroyed forever, and to just get over it. I have been in a very dark mental place from this hate for almost a year, and I don’t see it ending.
20
20
I really like it, but now it's practically impossible to use for the obvious reason. :(
-1
-1
I’m a person with this name but I’m going by a nickname. I can imagine if I was hearing about someone else complaining about their name related to a meme, I would think it was ridiculous. I can’t believe how intense this has been! It’s true that not everyone immediately associates you with the name but it happens randomly like a jack in the box lol and you have no warning because it’s an insult for everything and I feel there is so much anger out there right now. This is a unique case with the pandemic and so many issues coming to a head. Also, you see your name associated in the media with it and it’s so hard to mentally separate from it. Again, at first no problem but you really want connection with others during this time and this name thing is one more hurdle.
Finally I was repeatedly called one of the good Karen’s in the workplace. I completely appreciate this was meant in a nice way but it definitely makes you feel small when some people say it.
All this to say, it may die down but right now I couldn’t in good faith recommend naming a child this name at this point in time. It consumes a lot of mental energy, which I know is better directed elsewhere - social causes, my friends and family, etc...
3
Finally I was repeatedly called one of the good Karen’s in the workplace. I completely appreciate this was meant in a nice way but it definitely makes you feel small when some people say it.
All this to say, it may die down but right now I couldn’t in good faith recommend naming a child this name at this point in time. It consumes a lot of mental energy, which I know is better directed elsewhere - social causes, my friends and family, etc...
3
The fact that the name Karen is being used in such a derogatory way by social media and the media is quite amusing to me, seeing that everyone of you think you have a right to do so. First of all no one's name should ever be used in a negative way. The name you were given at birth is sacred and should be kept that way. Second of all for those who say that using the name Karen isn't a form of racism should rethink that one more time. You say that all women can be karens yet all you post are videos of white women, which is completely biased. And when you say things like klukluxkaren what comes to mind? You people don't get it, that there are grandmother's, mothers, sisters, aunts, innocent women with this name, that have done nothing to no one. Many women with this name have become depressed, afraid, bullied and silenced all because lies are being spread about their name. And while you name every problematic woman Karen, you are letting these real women get away with what they are doing by letting them hide behind Karen. There is a bigger picture here and these women that do these crazy things should be called out for who they really are. But unfortunately you social media keyboard warriors are too immature to see that, so you ruin an innocent name. Third of all the Karen meme never made any sense, you put up a picture of Kate Gosselin with literally the blonde Bob, who has all the kids and call her Karen which is completely stupid, but then again we are talking about social media where everyone seems to look in the mirror every morning and consider themselves perfect. For all those who leave negative feedback on this page, and have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all. I read on here about a 14yr old girl named Karen who killed herself, and people still leave negative comments on here it's unbelievable. It's unbelievable how hate is taking over this country and children are the ones who suffer the most. I love how people can't think for themselves and join in on bashing an innocent woman's name, to me you are all puppets and I laugh at you.
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A Karen is a woman often with the blonde "I want to speak to your manager" bob haircut who will complain about anything and everything to the manager of a store. They often feel entitled to compensation for the slightest inconvenience when something doesn't go her way.
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I feel super bad for people who have the name Karen! This is not because I don't like it, I have just read a lot of comments about people getting bullied! I think it's a beautiful name. Very simple and perfect! I learned to take pride in my "Basic white girl name" Maddie and I hope if your name is Karen, you can too!
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Society’s hate and constant mocking of this name makes me truly feel like a piece of garbage.
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I’ve never been a fan of this name. Katherine or Kara are both prettier, and Karen seems quite boring to me personally, but I do feel bad about the negativity surrounding the name recently, because it’s a name not a personality type, and nobody deserves hate for it. Karen isn’t a bad name either and I’m sure there are wonderful people with this name.
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Karen Lamm was an American actress. She died in 2001.
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Karen Blanche Black was an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She died in 2013.
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I’ve never heard of the meme before. Anyway, I don’t like this name much, it reminds me of a young teenage poser, but it’s not that bad, I prefer Karena.
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It's really a shame about Karen. I personally didn't like the name before the memes, but I didn't see it as a bad name either. Moreover, there are many other names that are praised for being "modern" and "popular" that I find uglier, but that is another matter. Imagine that your name, which you have always thought was pretty and harmless, is suddenly used to describe a totally despicable type of person and people start to seem gross for it. How would you feel? I'm honest: horrible. I would not even be surprised if there were Karens who have changed their name because they are insecure. Normal. I assure you that there are thousands and thousands of Karens who are beautiful people, both inside and out, and there is no reason to feel ashamed or dislike for a simple name. It's pathetic. I believe that it is necessary to stop now, because if not in a few years all the Karens will be extinct. It will be the most hated name of all!
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Stop all the name bullying now it's the year 2021
Peace and Love.
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Peace and Love.
32
This is a really beautiful name. This name is a modern and pretty name. A lot of nicknames go with it too. As with the memes, I'm totally against the bullying with names over the media. People have nothing better to do. Karen is a wonderful and fine name.
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For those who say using Karen to describe racists is not personal to those named Karen— Karen is a personal name.
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The first orangutan to have open-heart surgery was named Karen. She was born at the San Diego Zoo on June 11, 1992, and is alive and well today. (I've heard her nickname is Kare-Bear.)
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Reminds me of a 35-45 year old woman who yells at the manager and calls the cops for very stupid reasons and is often racist.
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Karen was Alice's spoiled sister in the 1976 movie Alice Sweet Alice.
1
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I think it's lovely. It has a soft, easygoing pronunciation and a harmless look to it.
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The name itself is a nice name, I would not recommend this name for a human child though because they will get bullied and made fun of it because of the meme. If you want to name your kid after someone named Karen consider doing it as a middle name rather than first.
I know it's sad and dumb and shouldn't be a thing but if you name your kid this they will be bullied for it.
2
I know it's sad and dumb and shouldn't be a thing but if you name your kid this they will be bullied for it.
2
Beautiful name ruined by the internet. Try Corinne?
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I actually like almost every name on earth, apart from this one, it is a beautiful name, really. But I don’t like the Karen the English teacher association at all, so that’s why I don’t like this name.
0
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Actually, this is a good looking name, also sounds good. I don't care about so called memes or something like that. Karen is a good quality name. Sadly, not many would like to use it these days, but who cares, Karen is a name with quality.
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Karen-Dancer on Strictly Come Dancing.
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People that discriminate against anyone for being called a meme name of any kind are nasty and ridiculous.
Unfortunately there's now a culture of being vile to people mainly online.
They are not worth knowing and not worth your energy anyway.
I liken it to racial or appearance slurs.
Horrid and upsetting!
10
Unfortunately there's now a culture of being vile to people mainly online.
They are not worth knowing and not worth your energy anyway.
I liken it to racial or appearance slurs.
Horrid and upsetting!
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Karen Vick from the USA show, Psych.
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I like it.
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This name is pretty. I suggest you lot stop listening to these internet memes about people’s names because the Karen meme is so stupid. My teacher's real name is Karen and she is not a Karen at all, she is the nicest teacher I know.
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*huff, huff, SOOOB!* This would be such a nice name if it weren't slang for an entitled 'white' woman.
How is it abuse to name your child KAREN? Seriously, it's a classic name. If all these random letters can be names without being 'abuse', Karen is NO skin off YOUR back. Sorry for the rant but all the darn Karens or Karrens I know are 99.2%+ nice women.
18
How is it abuse to name your child KAREN? Seriously, it's a classic name. If all these random letters can be names without being 'abuse', Karen is NO skin off YOUR back. Sorry for the rant but all the darn Karens or Karrens I know are 99.2%+ nice women.
18
I actually really like the way this name sounds, but now I also associate it with entitled facebook women.
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My name is Karen and I am 20 yrs old and I absolutely hate my name because of the memes. It used to not bother me but I’m now insecure about it. I might change it. I feel like that’s why I have no friends or a best friend because of my name. I’m a shy person and I have a huge heart but I don't know, I just really hate it now.
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Are you okay with your daughter becoming a living meme? No problem. Go ahead.
(This name is blacklisted)
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(This name is blacklisted)
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I think this website is full of Karens. I mean, look at the last commenter. Anyway, it should be considered child abuse to name your kid "Karen".
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It takes a special kind of stupid to turn a name into a slur.
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I think Karen is a great name by itself and can be good for any age, I could even imagine Peppa Pig rocking this name, lol. I'm sad to see many Karen's be bullied by degenerates who have nothing to do in their life other than be miserable :(. If only many folks weren't so judgemental on people who are named Karen, they'd find some really interesting and nice Karens. Not all people named Karen are the same, the same way that not all people named Elizabeth are the same, it all depends on the person. I think that the Karen meme will die out in a few months maybe? Anyways it's not good to name your daughter Karen at the moment I'm writing this comment. Anyways, Karen is a good name.
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Karen Smith is one of the members in the 2004 movie Mean Girls. She is played by Amanda Seyfried. She is characterized by being very unintelligent yet very kindhearted to others. According to herself, she is capable of predicting the weather.
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Calling somebody a Karen isn’t racist, lmao. Women of many and all races can be “Karen’s”.
Anyways, the name itself is fine if you put away the meme associations for a second. Memes usually die off anyways.
6
Anyways, the name itself is fine if you put away the meme associations for a second. Memes usually die off anyways.
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To the people calling the use of the Karen meme "racist", racism is a mix of prejudice and systematic oppression. You, if you're white, which most of these people are, can't experience true racism. Take it from a white person.
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My name is Karine so it’s the same as Karen, the spelling is just different since I’m middle eastern. I used to laugh at the memes and share them and have people also sending them to me but now I’m starting to hate my name because some of my favorite tiktokers and youtubers are using it as a mockery and I’m only 15 years old. I really hope the memes die soon because I believe my name is special since my mom gave it to me and here I am with my name going around as an internet meme. People forgot the true meaning of it and use it to refer to mean, middle aged white ladies and I know that me and many other Karens are not mean old white ladies, so please make it stop.
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I just want to put up some information here.
I just want to point out that Karen is a lovely name. (Even before the whole meme thing happened.) Karen is pretty much now a term directed to older women (specifically middle aged white women) complaining about problems that are petty, or overreacting over small things.
To all the Karen’s out there, I’m so sorry you have to go through the teasing and stuff on social media due to your name. It’s sad how they turned a good name into something terrible, and now it is supposed to be an insult. I hope you get over it soon. (Memes usually die off anyways.)
As far as naming a child this, I wouldn’t be too sure. Obviously, the name is really popular right now as an insult. If it is in memory, or in honor of somebody, then go for it. But at the end of the day, please remember Karen is a wonderful name, and don’t feel bad for it.
16
I just want to point out that Karen is a lovely name. (Even before the whole meme thing happened.) Karen is pretty much now a term directed to older women (specifically middle aged white women) complaining about problems that are petty, or overreacting over small things.
To all the Karen’s out there, I’m so sorry you have to go through the teasing and stuff on social media due to your name. It’s sad how they turned a good name into something terrible, and now it is supposed to be an insult. I hope you get over it soon. (Memes usually die off anyways.)
As far as naming a child this, I wouldn’t be too sure. Obviously, the name is really popular right now as an insult. If it is in memory, or in honor of somebody, then go for it. But at the end of the day, please remember Karen is a wonderful name, and don’t feel bad for it.
16
I think it's a wonderful name with a nice meaning. It means "pure", and it is also a Japanese name meaning "lotus flower"(depending on the kanji combination). I know someone with this name, but she isn't middle-aged, she's 15! Also, actually harassing someone for being named Karen is bitchy and petty, anyone who does so should be ashamed of theirselves.
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Karen Brockman was the wisecracking little girl from Outnumbered!
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My mother actually almost named me Karen, but decided the name was too boring and named me Mietta instead.
Ever since those Karen memes appeared I have been so grateful that she didn't pick the name Karen!
If you're bullied for this name, I feel so bad for you :(
14
Ever since those Karen memes appeared I have been so grateful that she didn't pick the name Karen!
If you're bullied for this name, I feel so bad for you :(
14
I didn’t even like this name before it became a meme.
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There's a number of disingenuous people claiming the memes aren't aimed at actual people called Karen, and that it's more of a personality type. This isn't true any more. Actual women called Karen are being harrassed and bullied. You only have to read through the comments on this page to see the levels of anxiety and depression it's causing. If millions of people participate in using a real name as an insult, of course it's going to eventually lead to people making comments at those of us who actually have the name. Also please be aware that there are numerous black and Asian women called Karen.
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So apparently when someone of a particular demographic isn't as invisible as you think they should be, it's appropriate to use a word with a connotation that negatively targets their gender, age and/or skin color as a way of insulting them and putting them in their place. Thanks America, good to know.
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I know I had left a comment in the past, but I have more to say. I have a cousin named "Braeliegh" and her middle name is Karen. Karen isn't a bad name, but due to the memes she's teased. She goes by Karen instead of "Braeliegh" which I can totally understand why. She doesn't understand why she's teased. She just says "Yeah, I'm a Karen." (She's 7 years old and doesn't really know about the memes yet.) I couldn't find Braeliegh on this site, which is a good thing.
Karen is a wonderful name, and I would even use it for my daughter.
These "Karen Memes" are bullshit. Ignorant women who complain about everything should be called "Ignorant Women who Complain about everything" not "Karen".
Karen loves her name, and wishes her name was either Karen Nicole or Karen Braeliegh. She says she's not going to change her name ever because her mom says Braeliegh has a lot of sentimental value. My cousin is beautiful, wonderful, a great person, and she's the nicest person I've EVER met.
21
Karen is a wonderful name, and I would even use it for my daughter.
These "Karen Memes" are bullshit. Ignorant women who complain about everything should be called "Ignorant Women who Complain about everything" not "Karen".
Karen loves her name, and wishes her name was either Karen Nicole or Karen Braeliegh. She says she's not going to change her name ever because her mom says Braeliegh has a lot of sentimental value. My cousin is beautiful, wonderful, a great person, and she's the nicest person I've EVER met.
21
The fact that there is actually a movie being made titled Karen to portray the moniker of this name is absolutely insane. The constant mocking of this name truly will never end and people’s obsession with using it is becoming comically stupid at this point.
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My name is Karen. 1963. I am thinking about changing my name. My husband and people I know do not understand why I cannot just “get over it”. I cannot speak for other people who were born with this name, but I have read all of the comments on here. I finally feel a little bit like I found a home. Someone else to understand. I did not see the 9/11 comment but I did read the later ones and the one from Karen’s sister who said she did in fact kill herself. Because she felt like me I am sure. I was already having a rough go at life with family issues, marital issues, and low self esteem. Last year I started 24/7 taking care of my mom instead of going back to work and now the virus keeps me more isolated. Then all the violence everywhere in the nation made me feel we are in a bad bad dream and my heart goes out to everyone so sad with all of this hatred. Then someone told me about my name meme. I googled it and my world has been spinning ever since. When I thought it couldn’t get worse. Dare I say my name out loud. It is a bad angry racist word. Once one that meant pure and I have been accused all my life of being too nice. I get sick of hearing how “nice” I am. Why I wear my heart on my sleeve and cry for everyone else’s pain. Now I am embarrassed of who I am portrayed as. Started thinking about changing it but I am almost 60. People say it will go away but in looking it has been just getting bigger and more hateful. I love when people say you are not a Karen. Just because your name is Karen. Whaaaat? I AM a Karen because that is my name. I went to a class where we studied name calling and what it does to people. If you call them smart over and over they will be smarter than if you call them dummy over and over. By putting this stigma on my name what you are telling me is that every time I hear it, I should act like a meme that I saw. Are you saying you have a voice and mine doesn’t matter because you have a different name and I am just a Karen? And it did happen and I did try to voice an opinion and was accused no wonder your name is Karen. I changed my name to my middle name and I already see a difference in the responses. Then I say no! This is not fair. Should I whisper when the cashier or anyone asks me my name? I feel I am not the only one being attacked. There must be millions of us “native Karen’s”. I feel we need to come together and fight social bullying and female bullying. This may be OUR job. Nobody can ever be called worse than white, entitled and racist. We need to redeem our name, maybe show women doing good with our name attached to outsource the bad. But whatever it is — we need to take action and not let the bully win!
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I actually believe this to be a beautiful name. I don't care what anyone thinks.
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I used to like this name until it became an internet meme. Now it makes me think of those Karen compilation videos I've been binge-watching on YouTube.
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My ears rings that Karen is not a nice name, instead Karen is... how should I put this... a "poisonous" name.
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Karen has become a meme of a racist white woman. But people who insult others with this name or any other are being hypocrites. Racism is hateful and hurtful, and so is calling someone “Karen.” Imagine if the name were Bonquisha, and that name were being used as an insult for black women. Or how about the name Floyd to insult a black man? Now how does that sound? Racist! Why is it okay to insult white people but not black people? The double standard is appalling! Treat everyone kindly regardless of their skin color. Stop making fun of others, thinking it’s harmless. It’s not harmless to the one named Karen.
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This is my real name, and I love it, but I am experimenting with nicknames now like Kara. The amount of ill-use the name is suffering is extraordinary and I don't see how anyone with this name can help but be upset at it being associated randomly with almost every nasty trait under the sun now. Whether it would lead to being treated differently in real life I really don't know, but it is hard sometimes seeing all the negativity towards it.
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Lol this name is hilarious!
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Growing up I didn't like my name, but during adulthood I grew to like it very much. Karen is feminine without being frilly. My father chose my name.
Now, of course, my lovely name Karen has been thoroughly trashed, probably for a generation. It's easy to say we should 'get over it' or laugh it off, but it's not that easy at this point. Try to put yourself into the shoes of the many kind and decent women named Karen. I have already changed the spelling of my name on social media, and I feel I must change it entirely (maybe to Kaitlin or Katharine) in my professional life to avoid negative stereotypes from people who don't know me.
At first the memes were just a little annoying and even funny. But it has become hurtful both emotionally and professionally. If 'Karen' was just dumb or silly or even slutty, I could laugh it off. But my name now makes people think of a rude, hateful, racist, entitled woman -- in other words, the worst kind of woman you can possibly imagine. You may say, it's not directed at me personally -- but the ugliness gets attached to me anyway because a name is personal. The last straw for me was a meme that says 'We say Karen but we really mean c**t." That's lovely. I'm supposed to laugh that off because 'it only means the bad Karens.' But you know that people who don't know me now see my name and their first thought is 'rude, horrible, racist, entitled complaining b*tch.
If you try to gently respond and ask people to think of how it is hurtful, even if you do it with humor, you will get accused of 'being a Karen.' You get accused of saying this is 'oppression' and that is not what I'm saying. That would be ridiculous and offensive imho. I'm not being oppressed. I'm just saying that using a PERSONAL NAME as a hideous insult is causing hurt, both emotionally and professionally. It maybe started as 'harmless' but has become a form of bullying to people who actually have this name. I wish more people would begin to understand this, but most don't seem to care. They're quick to call you a 'Karen' if you say anything. They think because they are calling out hate, however they do it is OK. I especially feel bad for the younger women who have commented here.
I believe the entitled racist behavior of these people should be called out and I have called out such behavior myself (as an aside, I've worked for social justice for most of my life, long before most of the people who use this meme were born) -- but we can do that without bullying and hurting women and girls who actually have this name and do not deserve the stereotype. Thanks.
Now I worry that you will hear me as just a Karen, but I hope not. I hate that I have to change the name my father gave me. To my friends and family, I will always be Karen, and they know what kind of person I am. But to the world at large, unfortunately my name is trashed.
26
Now, of course, my lovely name Karen has been thoroughly trashed, probably for a generation. It's easy to say we should 'get over it' or laugh it off, but it's not that easy at this point. Try to put yourself into the shoes of the many kind and decent women named Karen. I have already changed the spelling of my name on social media, and I feel I must change it entirely (maybe to Kaitlin or Katharine) in my professional life to avoid negative stereotypes from people who don't know me.
At first the memes were just a little annoying and even funny. But it has become hurtful both emotionally and professionally. If 'Karen' was just dumb or silly or even slutty, I could laugh it off. But my name now makes people think of a rude, hateful, racist, entitled woman -- in other words, the worst kind of woman you can possibly imagine. You may say, it's not directed at me personally -- but the ugliness gets attached to me anyway because a name is personal. The last straw for me was a meme that says 'We say Karen but we really mean c**t." That's lovely. I'm supposed to laugh that off because 'it only means the bad Karens.' But you know that people who don't know me now see my name and their first thought is 'rude, horrible, racist, entitled complaining b*tch.
If you try to gently respond and ask people to think of how it is hurtful, even if you do it with humor, you will get accused of 'being a Karen.' You get accused of saying this is 'oppression' and that is not what I'm saying. That would be ridiculous and offensive imho. I'm not being oppressed. I'm just saying that using a PERSONAL NAME as a hideous insult is causing hurt, both emotionally and professionally. It maybe started as 'harmless' but has become a form of bullying to people who actually have this name. I wish more people would begin to understand this, but most don't seem to care. They're quick to call you a 'Karen' if you say anything. They think because they are calling out hate, however they do it is OK. I especially feel bad for the younger women who have commented here.
I believe the entitled racist behavior of these people should be called out and I have called out such behavior myself (as an aside, I've worked for social justice for most of my life, long before most of the people who use this meme were born) -- but we can do that without bullying and hurting women and girls who actually have this name and do not deserve the stereotype. Thanks.
Now I worry that you will hear me as just a Karen, but I hope not. I hate that I have to change the name my father gave me. To my friends and family, I will always be Karen, and they know what kind of person I am. But to the world at large, unfortunately my name is trashed.
26
I like it, but don’t go around naming your kid this anymore. Just go with Katherine.
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As hilarious as the meme is, it's not necessarily directed at people named Karen. It's used against people who throw temper tantrums at things like trying to enter a store after closing, someone cutting you off in traffic, and pretty much not getting your way. This can even apply to a man.
And to all the Karens who don't act like "Karens" but hate the meme, you should know that there is a similar meme known as "Kyle", which refers to an angry teenage boy who punches drywall.
Yet, most Kyles I know just go along with it and make jokes themselves so just take a page out of their book.
The Kyle meme may not be as big as Karen, but all that tells me is that the stereotype of my fellow women being over sensitive is true.
After all, the key to having a great sense of humor is being able to make fun of yourself.
-27
And to all the Karens who don't act like "Karens" but hate the meme, you should know that there is a similar meme known as "Kyle", which refers to an angry teenage boy who punches drywall.
Yet, most Kyles I know just go along with it and make jokes themselves so just take a page out of their book.
The Kyle meme may not be as big as Karen, but all that tells me is that the stereotype of my fellow women being over sensitive is true.
After all, the key to having a great sense of humor is being able to make fun of yourself.
-27
I realize that my previous comment was probably not clear enough or how the meme did effect real Karens. So I'll try it again.
Once more, the Karen meme wasn't meant for literal Karens and was even a meme long before it became so widespread. If I had to guess, "Karen" was just the name that came to mind because most of these toxic women are about 40 years or older and the majority of Karens are this age.
Also, before "Karen", there were tons of girls named Isis who got bullied for their name as well, so Karen is definitely not the first.
But yes, there is a difference between a Karen and a woman named Karen and there plenty of people who will use "Karen" as an easy argument win. And I know how that feels.
I do feel sorry for any Karens out there who are genuine people and are getting bullied for their name but I do not feel sorry for any "Karens" who think they're the center of the universe.
-16
Once more, the Karen meme wasn't meant for literal Karens and was even a meme long before it became so widespread. If I had to guess, "Karen" was just the name that came to mind because most of these toxic women are about 40 years or older and the majority of Karens are this age.
Also, before "Karen", there were tons of girls named Isis who got bullied for their name as well, so Karen is definitely not the first.
But yes, there is a difference between a Karen and a woman named Karen and there plenty of people who will use "Karen" as an easy argument win. And I know how that feels.
I do feel sorry for any Karens out there who are genuine people and are getting bullied for their name but I do not feel sorry for any "Karens" who think they're the center of the universe.
-16
To the person comparing the Karen phenomenon to the few random jokes about “Kyle” - c’mon, the two aren’t even comparable. Not even remotely.
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I am 26 years old with this name. The memes have truly ruined my name and over the past year has only made me very depressed and insecure about myself. I no longer want to socialize or make new friends because of my name's association, and being embarrassed to introduce myself. I truly do not understand the enormous amount of hate for this name and its vapid use all over social media. It is singled out with absolutely no regard for how people named Karen in real life will be affected personally. It is insulting, demoralizing, and depressing. The memes and constantly seeing people use my name in the most negative light seems to never end for this name. The continuous use of my name as a joke in society has truly made me feel that my entire existence and identity is a joke. I don't see an end in sight for the hate of this name.
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Although "Karen" is definitely not a slur like some people claimed, it's certainly a worn-out meme. Memes die or become cringy after being overused, so hopefully that's the case with Karen.
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It’s not as bad as Susan or Barbara but I still don’t like it because of the meme association.
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-5
So, I registered here just to be able to comment on this Karen tread. I am a Karen born 1964. I want to thank everyone for the positive comments and inspiration for Karens. I really needed to read your kind words. On top of the pandemic scare and my broken heart seeing the suffering in the world, I also lost my job and then my daughter lost her baby. Then, she broke her back in a car accident. Then, my mother died June 5. I try to cheer myself up on the internet and this hatred for Karen is everywhere. I even saw it on the news. I was on this site today looking for a new first name. I have been so hurt by the recent Karen bullies. I have actually cried reading endless insults to Karens. It kinda feels like the world is against me because of my name. Karens are being treated with prejudice. It feels weird to have a problem that no one understands unless they are an actual Karen. I am concerned for the very young Karens trying to understand all of this. At my age it is hard enough. Someone young may be very confused and hurt and even bullied in school. I have found myself being extra nice to everyone I encounter to show them a Karen's real sweetness. Everyone at work called me Karebear, and so do my friends. I have had that nickname since elementary school. Well we should start a Karen club and protest this treatment. I actually will go make us a Twitter page and call it The Karen club. :) Maybe non-Karens could support us. Because we really need it. I am glad that I found you all here. I might have picked out a new name and changed it to some other name that the internet decided to bully. So, what should I do change my name yet again? It may seem like the internet is the whole world but, it isn't. There are many beautiful loving people in the world. And I see many of them right here in these comments. :)
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I want to change my name! I absolutely hate my name now. People are using it as a slur to call white women racist! I’ve always been very shy and have never asked to speak to a manager. It’s so depressing. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t change my name? Does any other person named Karen feel this way? I try to just laugh about it at first but now that they use Karen to say it’s a white woman who’s racist, it’s hurtful. I don’t even want to put my name on an application for a job because people will stereotype me for my name. I don’t know what to do?
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I found this thread because I am feeling so down about my name that I am thinking of changing it. I had always liked it, it was given to me by my Dad who I adore and I've always thought it was a perfectly nice name. Maybe I am being oversensitive but I hate the fact that it's now associated with a racist woman who complains about things along with all sorts of other negative associations. I am not at all racist and am a very quiet person. My opinion on anything is now completely invalidated because of my name and I feel extremely self conscious. I feel like I can't carry on with it as my name. Overreaction? Maybe but I am genuinely upset and frustrated by it.
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I don't like the Karen memes, but I feel like people are overreacting a bit to it, by reading the comments here. The word autism has been used non stop as an insult and spoken about in a really derogatory context for quite a while now on the internet. I don't see why using a name as an insult is worse than a medical condition. Also, I don't think it's personal to individuals named Karen, it seems to be more about taking a name that sounds a bit frumpy/soccer mom-ish to describe those kinds of people. A bit like how Chad has been used to describe men who are jocks/players.
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I know a Karen who was the Freshman Class President of my school. She is bright, happy, and a wonderful person. All of the Karen's I've ever met are wonderful people. Karens, you matter.
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I think it’s pretty and cute and easy to spell, and I know a very lovely and funny Karen who has done so many good things for me.
Unfortunately, the meme, and the stereotypical Karens have ruined this, which is really quite disappointing.
4
Unfortunately, the meme, and the stereotypical Karens have ruined this, which is really quite disappointing.
4
I’m so glad to find other people named Karen talking about how the negative use of their name makes them feel. When the memes first started appearing, it was mildly annoying, but I felt like if I didn’t laugh at them, I would be acting like a “Karen”. After seeing the memes daily for the past few months and seeing the horrible comments people make using Karen as a catch-all term for every horrible, racist person on earth, it’s really started to depress me and change the way I interact with people. If I’m not extremely friendly or nice or accommodating, I worry about living up to the name. I now wonder if my family and friends are embarrassed of me because of my name. I feel like I can’t voice an opinion anymore because of my name. Seeing people who I consider to be intelligent and compassionate use Karen as an insult is so disappointing and disheartening. It feels awful. I wish people would think about how they would feel if their name was suddenly being used as an insult. It feels useless to try and argue this point with people, especially online where people feel emboldened and free to be cruel. Hopefully it will pass sooner than later.
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I feel depressed from all the Karen memes. It started out funny as the person who calls the manager but has morphed into a very ugly portrayal. I cry everyday as I cannot escape the terrible comments.
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Despite all the memes, and hate against the name, I personally love it. Karen is a really strong name, and is really fun to say.
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We named our daughter Karen after a young English girl that saved my life when I was on a trip to the UK a few years ago. I was at a beach in Northeastern England and I had fallen in the water and could not swim when this 12 year old girl dove in, grabbed me, swam us all the way back to shore and did chest compression CPR on me to get the water out of my lungs. It's because of this brave 12 year old from South Shields being such a strong swimmer as well as being so skilled at chest compression CPR that I'm able to post this here today, and my wife Harriet who is also from the UK agrees that the only appropriate name for our daughter is to name her Karen after the girl that is the reason why I am still alive. I don't care about the memes, because the Karen I met is a real life hero, and she hadn't even hit 13 years old yet. So thank you to that girl over in the UK, you are the reason I'm still breathing and why Harriet and I named our beautiful daughter Karen, and we will love and raise her to love herself and others. Bless you and love from Ontario, Canada.
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Young Karen here. I always hated my name because I was named after my dead mother. Of course I never let on. Only my father knew how I felt. I just accepted my name fate and begrudgingly moved on. But now with the memes it’s made me really depressed. I am far from that person but people automatically assume this is who I am. My opinions are dismissed straight away. Any legitimate complaint I may have is dismissed straight away. What I think no longer matters. After my mother died I begged my father to let me change my name. He would not allow it. I had to grow up carrying the weight of my dead mother’s name. Once I moved from home, I never changed my name because my father was still living. Now that he is dead I’d like to change my name but I can’t. If it weren’t for the memes I would just accept it. But my life has become unbearable because of this name, often to the point of suicidal thoughts. I don’t see the point of telling anyone. And the only reason I bothered to create an account and post this is because I want to warn people — please do not name your baby Karen. It’s horrible and not letting up any time soon. Just look at how many articles have been written about it lately. At this point, if I changed my name people would know it is because I am so hurt by this. And the last thing I ever want to do is let anyone know they hurt me.
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It’s an okay name but the memes...
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My name is Karen B. I was actually born in 1981. I do love my name, and I think it suits me well.
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To me, Karen is like a stronger, more exaggerated form of Carol, because they aren't related but do sound similar.
2
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Here is a list of famous Karen's I could find and what they are famous for.
Whoopi Goldberg (real name Caryn Johnson): She is one of just a few entertainers that have won all four of the major entertainment awards. Known as the EGOT, it is the name for winning the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards combined.
Caryn Mandabach: The Emmy winning executive producer of several of pop cultures favorite American TV shows from the 1980s through the 2000s including The Cosby Show, Roseanne, That 70's Show, Third Rock From the Sun, and Nurse Jackie.
Karen Carpenter: Famous 1970's pop singer of The Carpenters (With her brother Richard)
Karen Mulder: Dutch 1990's supermodel and Victoria's Secret Angel
Karen Elson: British supermodel
Karen Chen: Olympic Figure Skater. She was the 2017 U. S. National Ladies Champion and had the highest scored short program in history at the U.S. Nationals at that time.
Karyn Parsons: Actress who played Hillary on the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with Will Smith.
Karen Baldwin: Miss Universe 1982 from Canada
Karin Dor: James Bond Girl (You Only Live Twice)
Karyn White: 1980's R&B singer (1 number one hit "Romantic")
Karyn Bryant: ESPN show host for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
6
Whoopi Goldberg (real name Caryn Johnson): She is one of just a few entertainers that have won all four of the major entertainment awards. Known as the EGOT, it is the name for winning the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards combined.
Caryn Mandabach: The Emmy winning executive producer of several of pop cultures favorite American TV shows from the 1980s through the 2000s including The Cosby Show, Roseanne, That 70's Show, Third Rock From the Sun, and Nurse Jackie.
Karen Carpenter: Famous 1970's pop singer of The Carpenters (With her brother Richard)
Karen Mulder: Dutch 1990's supermodel and Victoria's Secret Angel
Karen Elson: British supermodel
Karen Chen: Olympic Figure Skater. She was the 2017 U. S. National Ladies Champion and had the highest scored short program in history at the U.S. Nationals at that time.
Karyn Parsons: Actress who played Hillary on the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with Will Smith.
Karen Baldwin: Miss Universe 1982 from Canada
Karin Dor: James Bond Girl (You Only Live Twice)
Karyn White: 1980's R&B singer (1 number one hit "Romantic")
Karyn Bryant: ESPN show host for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
6
To the girls named Karen, and the ones who are not...I am one of many Karens of my generation, the Boomers. I have always liked my name because it is a woman's name that is not silly or insipid. I also like that it is generally not shortened, and that it has 2 clear syllables.
There are certainly worse names to give a little girl. If your name is NOT Karen and it has one or more of the following characteristics, please reconsider before you criticise the name Karen:
Your name is very hard to pronounce;
People have trouble spelling your name;
People aren't sure whether your name is a boy's name or a girl's name;
People are sure that you are a boy when they see your name, even though you are a girl;
Your name is actually a British last name.
Karens of the world-- Ignore the memes. It is the latest form of bullying. It is no longer acceptable to make fun of people because of their race or religion or sexuality/gender, so now the idiots on the internet are making fun of people's names. Pathetic, although not surprising. It will pass, as soon as they find someone else to bully. In the meantime, work hard and stay strong. In other words, be a Karen.
7
There are certainly worse names to give a little girl. If your name is NOT Karen and it has one or more of the following characteristics, please reconsider before you criticise the name Karen:
Your name is very hard to pronounce;
People have trouble spelling your name;
People aren't sure whether your name is a boy's name or a girl's name;
People are sure that you are a boy when they see your name, even though you are a girl;
Your name is actually a British last name.
Karens of the world-- Ignore the memes. It is the latest form of bullying. It is no longer acceptable to make fun of people because of their race or religion or sexuality/gender, so now the idiots on the internet are making fun of people's names. Pathetic, although not surprising. It will pass, as soon as they find someone else to bully. In the meantime, work hard and stay strong. In other words, be a Karen.
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I'm a young Karen. No one else had it growing up, so I never really cared that much or thought about it. The name itself is okay, but it's somehow become a part of pop-culture as a joke. People constantly send me the memes, as if I will find it funny just because this was the name given to me. Thanks to the internet, I now hate my name and I am seriously considering legally changing it. I thought it was just a fad, but it's years later and ignorant people still laugh about it. I feel bad for anyone with a meme name because it gets really OLD to actually have to live with it.
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If you like this name then at least choose Caryn/Carin/Caren (pronounced CAR-IN) considering those are the only pretty variants.
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To me, this name is dated and boring. The memes sure didn't help either. I also knew a Karen, she was a family friend since I was little. Well, she got divorced and did indeed take the kids. I'm still friends with those kids and we always joke about it.
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My name is Karen and I'm in my 50s like most of us. I think all these Karen memes are funny. Of course you can't take them seriously because they are memes. Any Karen I've ever met was a hard-worker and you could count on them to get the job done. The same is true for anyone named Janet :) Karen is a no frills name :)
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I am an 18-year-old Chinese person and have had Karen as my English name for about 6 years. I love this name so much since it's easy to write, easy to pronounce and looks simple and beautiful. Most importantly, it means "pure" and so does my Chinese name. I always cherish this name and feel proud of this wonderful name that fits me so well.
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I hate that this name got the whole stupid stereotype attached to it. It is a great name, but can't help to think of all the times where I've seen the cliche with the entitled parent being named "Karen", hopefully the stupid stereotype wears off.
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Like the name, hate the memes.
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It's cute, but dated.
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Blah...
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My name is Karen. I'm 14 and I hate my name so much. It's the ugliest, plainest name you can give to someone. I get bullied everyday at school for this name and these memes and I'm sick and tired of it. I wish it was never my name because I'm embarrassed to introduce myself to new people without them taking me as a joke. People think just because my name is a joke they think they can treat me as a joke. I'm tired of it, it's given me depression and anxiety for people laughing at me and I really wish I was born with a different name. Please don't name your children this, they'll be as miserable as me and it leads to bullying and low self esteem.
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Just stay strong, don't let anyone bring you down.
I get teased almost all the time and I stay strong.
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I get teased almost all the time and I stay strong.
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How dare those people! Why are people so rude and immature? This Karen did nothing to do this. Karen, you are a wonderful person and you are loved by everyone on here, and your sister. Karen is a wonderful name, and those memes need to stop.
Karen is such a beautiful name. Karen, We ALL Love You.
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Karen is such a beautiful name. Karen, We ALL Love You.
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Hi. I am the older sister of the girl "Karen" who posted her comment 9/11/2019 as an anonymous user. My name is Karla. I'm 16. My mom named us similarly because she really liked both of our names. I am barely reading what she had commented last year. This goes out to any Karen out there that feels the same way as she expressed herself in that comment. It's going to be fine. She started hating herself severely because everyone on the internet plus in real life would have hatred for her for no reason. They took away my little beloved sister. I can never see her again because of what those people did to her. Karen is no longer here, I miss her severely. She was my only sister. Anyone out there that knows someone named this and teases them, please put it to an abrupt stop and sincerely ask if they're fine with it. If you have a hatred to this name, it's fine. Just don't have a hatred to the people named it. One day, it can really get to them.
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Did you mean Karen... died. Or do you mean that she changed and you will never see her happy or whatever. I'm confused. I don't even know if you will respond.
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I'm trying to respond to Karen, the anonymous user who posted on 9-11-19.
If nothing else, we share the same name, and I've got ten more years of wearing the name than you do. For years, I also extremely disliked my name, although thankfully it was before the pre-meme days. I felt the name had no music to it, and didn't fit me well. A name can be a shorthand for people to leap to conclusions, but it is also YOUR name. We have the same name, but are not the same person. So no-one who shares a name should feel defined by it. Make your name something you are proud of, through your actions. When people in your life think the name "Karen", they should think of you, so give them something amazing to look up to.
I promise, life gets better. The more you explore the world, the more likely you are to find worthwhile people. They may be few and far between, so cherish them when you find them. Find the things you love, find new things that fascinate you, find burning questions you want the answers to. I remember the sick pain of the days when I was in school and dealing with the bullies but those days don't last forever. They aren't mocking you; they are making themselves look all the more foolish because they can't think of anything better to do with their lives. But try talking to some of them, the ones who you think would be the most receptive. Be calm, but let them know that what they are saying hurts. I know, that sounds like lunacy. Some of them won't change, but maybe some of them will. And you'll have the strength to stand up for yourself.
Your name has roots in many languages, but in Hebrew the word "keren" means "ray of light". In German, it means "hard worker". From the Danish, it means "pure". The Gaelic version means "the small friend". Your name is the name of a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by almost seven million people.
Life gets better, kiddo. I promise. Keep pushing. One Karen to another, good luck. I believe in you. I hope you read this.
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If nothing else, we share the same name, and I've got ten more years of wearing the name than you do. For years, I also extremely disliked my name, although thankfully it was before the pre-meme days. I felt the name had no music to it, and didn't fit me well. A name can be a shorthand for people to leap to conclusions, but it is also YOUR name. We have the same name, but are not the same person. So no-one who shares a name should feel defined by it. Make your name something you are proud of, through your actions. When people in your life think the name "Karen", they should think of you, so give them something amazing to look up to.
I promise, life gets better. The more you explore the world, the more likely you are to find worthwhile people. They may be few and far between, so cherish them when you find them. Find the things you love, find new things that fascinate you, find burning questions you want the answers to. I remember the sick pain of the days when I was in school and dealing with the bullies but those days don't last forever. They aren't mocking you; they are making themselves look all the more foolish because they can't think of anything better to do with their lives. But try talking to some of them, the ones who you think would be the most receptive. Be calm, but let them know that what they are saying hurts. I know, that sounds like lunacy. Some of them won't change, but maybe some of them will. And you'll have the strength to stand up for yourself.
Your name has roots in many languages, but in Hebrew the word "keren" means "ray of light". In German, it means "hard worker". From the Danish, it means "pure". The Gaelic version means "the small friend". Your name is the name of a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by almost seven million people.
Life gets better, kiddo. I promise. Keep pushing. One Karen to another, good luck. I believe in you. I hope you read this.
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I think this name is cute personally. And if you're refusing to name your kid this simply because of the memes, that’s dumb because they will likely die out in a year or two.
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I’m a Karen. Born in 1955.
I’m neither dull nor boring! All the Karens I know are bright, caring women who think for themselves.
As a high school teacher, I come across a few Asian Karen’s.
I think it’s a good, clean name. Easy to pronounce, easy to remember and no more boring than the Matens, Latens, Darrens, Erins etc
Karen will soon enough become a popular name again. It’s the Danish derivative of Katherine, and that’s going strong.
I’m quite happy being a Karen!
11
I’m neither dull nor boring! All the Karens I know are bright, caring women who think for themselves.
As a high school teacher, I come across a few Asian Karen’s.
I think it’s a good, clean name. Easy to pronounce, easy to remember and no more boring than the Matens, Latens, Darrens, Erins etc
Karen will soon enough become a popular name again. It’s the Danish derivative of Katherine, and that’s going strong.
I’m quite happy being a Karen!
11
Why would you do that to a poor kid? Think of the memes...
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Okay name that is neither bad nor good.
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Karen is one of those names that readily, in my humble estimation, sounds dated and dull. Nothing, from a personal stand point exudes any elegance other than it sounding truly boring to my ears. A big yawn.
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It’s considered a middle aged lady name because it was the 3rd most popular girls’ name of 1965. Every year in school or work there were always at least 2 or 3 other Karens. Bummer. I remember in college telling one of my professors that I hated my name because it was a little girl’s name. He said don’t worry, when you are an old lady, I will be an old lady name. Boy, was he right!
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Ugly, no way!
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Average name.
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Also spelt Caireann, Cairenn or Ciaran. In Irish Gaelic, it means "little friend or little beloved."
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Memes ruin everything, and this name is no exception...
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My name is spelled KAREN. I love the way people with a South African accent pronounce my name. It's very hard for me to replicate in English, but it's a cross between 'my' pronunciation (K-A (as in apple) -R-I (as in igloo)-N) and K-EAR-E (as in egg)-N). I smile every time I hear it!
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Too bad, Karen used to be used as a slang word or different meaning. Today mostly it is used in various memes.
According to Know Your Meme website, the name "Karen" is characterized as an antagonistic, irritating and self-empowered female and sometimes a white housewife who took custody of the "kids".
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According to Know Your Meme website, the name "Karen" is characterized as an antagonistic, irritating and self-empowered female and sometimes a white housewife who took custody of the "kids".
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In 2018, 53 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Karen who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 35th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
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I knew an accountant and a banker with this name. In other words, it's a boring name for a dull person with no personality.
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Yawn... zzzZZZ... oh, sorry I fell asleep reading this boring, played out name. Nothing is really wrong with it, other than being one of the most dull, "white-bread" names ever.
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Karen Morton 1958-2014 was an American Model.
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I have a variant of this name! I was named after my aunt, and I spell it with two R’s: Karren. It’s really interesting to read everyone’s impressions on the name on here. I haven’t known many Karen’s that have thought a lot about their names; I try to gather opinions on it. I personally grew up not feeling that I identified with it very well, especially with the stigma surrounding it. I made a friend as a teenager that called me Kar, (pronounced “care”) and I like that a lot better personally! I never thought of Ren before, but that sounds pretty cute too! Everyone I’ve seen so far on here has said that there’s no really good nickname for it, but I have a great one actually! My grandmother and a few friends call me Karebear! I think it’s really cute! I’m personally tired of the name being used to denote someone stupid, ditzy, immature, or a middle-aged Mom who wants to complain. I’m in my early twenties and have actually dealt with middle-aged women named Karen who are very snotty to people in the food industry. The only one who was nice to me was named “Caryn”. We bonded over having unique spellings! All in all, I think it’s a very meaningful name, but it’s kind of a double edged sword!
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Generally simple and to the point.
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Too boring, and reminds me of a middle aged housewife. No flavor, no spazz. And about every girl has this name.
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Actress Karen Valentine (b 1947).
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I think Karen with a "K" looks much better, in my opinion.
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Japanese 可憐 is used for a girl's name, and pronounced KAREN, and the meaning is "lovely" or "cute". The word originates not from the West but from Chinese. But the Chinese meaning of 可憐 is "pitiful" or "poor", and it's not used for Chinese names.
Historically Japanese meaning have changed from "pitiful" to "should be protected" and to "lovely".
4
Historically Japanese meaning have changed from "pitiful" to "should be protected" and to "lovely".
4
I've always loved the name Karen. It is very pretty and girly to me.
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Karen Fukuhara is an American actress. She is known for her role of Tatsu Yamashiro / Katana in the 2016 DC superhero film Suicide Squad. Fukuhara was born in Los Angeles, California. While attending UCLA, she continued to work on numerous shows on NHK in Japan, most notably those on the Disney Channel as a member of Movie Surfers. She was also involved in the a cappella group, Medleys, during her college career.
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Karen Hillenburg is the wife of Stephen Hillenburg. She works as a chef at a cooking school.
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Karen is actually a lovely name, but it was ridiculously overused. I believe that it has the potential to come back into style, but it's probably too soon. Spellings Caren or Caron make the name look somewhat fresh.
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Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted, known professionally as MØ is a Danish singer and songwriter, signed to Sony Music Entertainment. Born in Ubberud, MØ has been compared to electropop artists such as Grimes and Twin Shadow. Besides being an acronym for her middle and last name initials, the word mø means "maiden" or "virgin" in Danish. Her debut studio album, No Mythologies to Follow, was released in March 2014.
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The little girl from Frosty The Snowman.
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The name Karen means "Ray of Light or Beam of Light" in Hebrew. In the Torah and with regards to the Big Bang, the name Karen is often associated with the Hebrew word "Ohr" which only means "light." Together, the term "Karen Ohr," has transformed into the defining "burst of energy" or "intense rays of lightbeams" that first lit up the universe at the very beginning of human creation as we know it.
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Having been forced to carry this name for 40 years (1976), I am anxious to finally, legally lift this awful burden from my life, and change my name to something that doesn't make me cringe every time I hear it. Instead of naming me a feminine name, my mother had the brilliant idea to name me a "strong German name," as she continually put it. I can only blame mental illness, or the disappointment I was not a boy (they tried to force me to dress and act like a boy once I reached puberty).
There is nothing feminine whatsoever about this name, and I resent being tagged with such a brut, unattractive name. Look up: "I hate my name." It is not a coincidence how many posts there are from Karens, who hate their names.
Many sites try to pass this name off as derived from the feminine name Katherine, but it is in fact a man's name that the spelling was changed to in order to have another name to pass off for a girl. It's actual ancient derivation is Gaelic, but Wikipedia and name sites pushed the rumor that it was invented by the Dutch, and was a man's name spelled "Keren," changed to accommodate the need for more female names. It is still used solely as a man's name in Iran and Armenia.
Give me the common girl names of today that are actual girl names any day, or even a grandma name that sounds feminine. Karen is a name for a severely wrinkled, masculine, frumpy, hippy type woman, not a feminine girl or lady.
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There is nothing feminine whatsoever about this name, and I resent being tagged with such a brut, unattractive name. Look up: "I hate my name." It is not a coincidence how many posts there are from Karens, who hate their names.
Many sites try to pass this name off as derived from the feminine name Katherine, but it is in fact a man's name that the spelling was changed to in order to have another name to pass off for a girl. It's actual ancient derivation is Gaelic, but Wikipedia and name sites pushed the rumor that it was invented by the Dutch, and was a man's name spelled "Keren," changed to accommodate the need for more female names. It is still used solely as a man's name in Iran and Armenia.
Give me the common girl names of today that are actual girl names any day, or even a grandma name that sounds feminine. Karen is a name for a severely wrinkled, masculine, frumpy, hippy type woman, not a feminine girl or lady.
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You either really want attention or you are seriously confused. I have always been told the name Karen, meaning "A ray of light" in Hebrew, was utterly beautiful. YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR YOUR NAME! Stop whining, maybe you come from a crappy hippy place but I am from the South and we've definitely got better taste. BE THANKFUL YOU ended up with the most meaningful name to probably exist because it has been here since the creation of the universe (whether you believe in the bible or the big bang or both), a ray of light is what started everything, and any scientist or priest or rabbi can attest to the fact.
Man, you probably deserved to be a Deborah or Barb. Just kidding, you were named Karen for a reason. Stop complaining and start embracing, sista!
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Man, you probably deserved to be a Deborah or Barb. Just kidding, you were named Karen for a reason. Stop complaining and start embracing, sista!
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We called our daughter Karen in the 80's. We think it's a lovely name and it really suits her. It can't be shortened although the family name for her is Kazbar or the wee wifie.
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This was a common name in the late 60's, but I prefer Karen to the awful and embarrassing names of Sharon or Debbie. They remind me of rough, chain smoking middle aged women.
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Karen Mulder is a Dutch model and singer. During the 1990s, she had a successful modeling career and was recognized as a world-class "supermodel" by various media.
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Growing up, I always hated my name, we lived in the U.S. and never met another Karen. Moved back to Canada and met 3, so maybe it was more popular in Canada. My daughter's friend always called me Karebear so I grew to like it more.
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The name is also used in Sweden, and Iceland.
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I'm starting to really like this name because it's beautiful and simple without being too overused or too outdated. Also, Karen Gillan played Amelia Pond on Doctor Who, and she seems like a really cool/fun person.
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Another "young" Karen here (born in 1976). In my high school, there was one Karen per year (which falls right into the percentage ranking on this site).
There was a Karen on my stepdaughter's basketball team, and I felt bad for the kid. I had the name of so many of my peers' mothers. That poor kid had a name now belonging to grandmothers.
In my job, I dealt with people through emails for years before meeting them and always heard later that I surprised them (I wasn't at all how they pictured!). It took me a while to realize that they assumed I'd be about 20 years older. Then I also realized, my name had helped me at work (they assumed I was older and had more experience than I did). Unfortunately, lately, I'm realizing it's hurting me -- I've applied for jobs where they probably assume I'm close to retiring.
My stepdaughter is named Heather, a name I've always loved, but that I now realize is a name from my own generation and less popular in her age group. She's probably going to go through the same ups and downs with her name that I have with mine. I guess it's a common issue with names that trend and peak with generations.
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There was a Karen on my stepdaughter's basketball team, and I felt bad for the kid. I had the name of so many of my peers' mothers. That poor kid had a name now belonging to grandmothers.
In my job, I dealt with people through emails for years before meeting them and always heard later that I surprised them (I wasn't at all how they pictured!). It took me a while to realize that they assumed I'd be about 20 years older. Then I also realized, my name had helped me at work (they assumed I was older and had more experience than I did). Unfortunately, lately, I'm realizing it's hurting me -- I've applied for jobs where they probably assume I'm close to retiring.
My stepdaughter is named Heather, a name I've always loved, but that I now realize is a name from my own generation and less popular in her age group. She's probably going to go through the same ups and downs with her name that I have with mine. I guess it's a common issue with names that trend and peak with generations.
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Hey 38 year old Karen from the 8/2015 comment. I'm a Karen just a couple of years older than you. Ya, sure we grew up with dozens of Jennifer's, Michelle's, and Kimberly's, but I actually grew up with 2 Karen's! I later encountered a few others around my age. When I started working in stores as a young adult, women at least 10 years older than me would show ID to pay with a credit card and I could see that I came a little after the name's peak popularity! That's the interesting thing about female names in America... with no "jr status" like boys who kept both their father's first and last name after marriage, girls' names seemed to be more prone to follow trends from decade to decade. It even served to highlight the emphasis that is placed on youthfulness in females. But in the last few years male names have seemed to catch up to the trend.
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The first Karen I knew was at Prinary School. She was an intelligent and popular girl.
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Karen Strassman (born June 5, 1975) is an American voice actress. I know who she is because she currently voices Rouge the Bat in the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' series.
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I am a 38-year-old Karen. There were no other Karens all through my elementary or high school years, just me. I got to college and there were four of us, all the exact same age. It is not an old housemaid's name. It is a gift bestowed upon me by my parents that has taken me some time to grow into because I believe it is a classic, traditional, and mature name. It took me a while to feel confident about the maturity my name bestowed. As someone who treats patients with devastating illnesses and their impending death, I feel as though I can provide support and strength while demonstrating confidence to the patients and families I deal with because I have a name they can trust. It's not that Dr. Brandi has inferior skills nor knowledge. I'm just proud that I've finally grown into my name because I did always think it was some old person's name. But I'm proud to be a Karen, just as everyone should consider the gift of the name their parents chose for them as one of the greatest gifts their parents have given, aside from the very gift of life.
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My name is also Karen and I think it is a good enough name. It is short and even though I have met people also bearing my name, I still think it's a great name to have. However, I think social media has ruined the name by making people think that Karens are either old, grumpy, bossy, or deserving punishment (or at least that's how I see them as). Either way I still like my name.
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Forget all of you, my name is Karen and I'm 14-years-old. I am a sweet lolita, and into many things an otaku enjoys (anime, manga, drawing, video games, cosplay, etc.)
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Reminds me of some boring girl from the 70's. That kind of sums it up. And I don't know why, but all these names like Katherine, Karen, Katrina etc, come across as quite evil, somehow.
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Karen Harding is a British singer.
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My name is Karen Sue, I am 35 and I personally love my name. I didn't know any other Karens growing up in the 80s and 90s, and I liked not having to share my name in class. Now as a professional adult, I know several, and we all have Sue as a middle name, which is funny. Only one is my age, most of them are in their late 40s or 50s. I am definitely not a frumpy housewife. Some friends called me Carebear in school out of affection.
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Karen Page of Marvel Comics and adaptations, notably the Netflix series 'Daredevil' where she is a major character portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll.
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I'm not being rude or offensive to the Karens out there, but I don't like this name. I personally know two Karens, my mom and someone in my grade (Her name is spelled Karyn) and I like Karyn! It's so unique!
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I think this name is cute, simple, safe, classy & sophisticated. :)
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This is my name. I'm 27 and have never met another Karen my own age, which as a teenager I hated. I went to school with Rachels, Sarahs, Haileys etc and always wished I wasn't given an 'old lady name' but now I very much appreciate having a name nobody else my age has!
I was recently in the shop and heard a mother call out to her toddler whose name was Karen. I was very excited to hear my name on a young person very refreshing compared to all the Ava, Mias, and Madisons of today!
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I was recently in the shop and heard a mother call out to her toddler whose name was Karen. I was very excited to hear my name on a young person very refreshing compared to all the Ava, Mias, and Madisons of today!
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Karen is my sister's name and she has always cherished it. She will soon turn 41 and we both joke about how we haven't met any teenage or 20-something gals named Karen. I've seen many versions of the name: Karen (most common); Karan, and Karin. Karen may come back as a classic as Elizabeth and Laura have in the past.
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Karen is the Dark-type Elite Four member in Pokemon Gold and Silver, as well as in the remakes. She's one of my favorite characters in the series.
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Karen is also an ethnic group living in Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.
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Karen is the name of Plankton's computer wife on Spongebob Squarepants.
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This name is firm but not too hard, and has a nice ring to it.
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An awesome nom-de-plume for Karen would be Sharon. Because then if someone found out her identity, they could say "Sharon is Karen!"
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Karen O, lead singer of the band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
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Karen Gillan, actress who is best known for her role as Amy Pond on Doctor Who.
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Terrible, boring name. I don't understand the appeal of it to so many people.
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Lovely but retro! Well this is my mom's name!
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I'm surprised at how much I'm beginning to like this name. I knew several Karens growing up (in the 90s), but they were all adults--none in my generation. Well, except for one Indian girl, Kiran, who'd had her name misread as "Karin" by so many that she just had her friends call her Karen. (Which is a shame, because Kiran is a beautiful name.)
Anyway... I think this is a great name. It's versatile--simple enough for a child, has enough spunk for adulthood--and has a nice sound. (And no, I don't picture a middle-aged housewife. In fact, I see Karen as a modern businesswoman.)
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Anyway... I think this is a great name. It's versatile--simple enough for a child, has enough spunk for adulthood--and has a nice sound. (And no, I don't picture a middle-aged housewife. In fact, I see Karen as a modern businesswoman.)
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This is my mum's name and half my other friends' mums' names so it must have been popular when she was born. That might have been why she gave me a name with freak pronunciation so I wouldn't be Emily 5 in my class, lol that's not my name though. :)
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This is my mum's name. It's simple and straightforward and suits her very much. I have known a couple of other people with the same name, but it doesn't seem too common these days for kids to be called this.
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Karen Blixen, also called Isak Dinesen, the author of Out of Africa. She ran a coffee plantation in Kenya by herself for years.
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I'd really wish every single website about names did some actual research (like Behind the Name) and stopped stating that the meaning of Katherine and its variants is "pure." The meaning of the original name is very much uncertain, and if did originate from the Greek "katharos", it would be more appropriate to attach its meaning to the more literal sense of the word: catharsis.
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Karen was the name of the main character in "The Red Shoes," a fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. Her red shoes will not let her stop dancing as a punishment for her vanity. In the end her feet are cut off and she becomes a very humble, religious person.
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This name seems quite middle aged and youthful at the same time. It seems less chavvy than the rhyming Sharon and more suitable for a child than the similar sounding Carol.
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"Karen" is a short story written by the Norwegian author Alexander Kielland prior to 1882, when it was published. The main character is a beautiful young girl named Karen who workes in an inn (weird sentence!). She falls in love with the, er, mailman (he did carry mail, but was a far more important than mailmen of today), and becomes pregnant. When she overhears one of the costumers telling his friend that the mailman is happily married, she drowns herself in the mire behind the inn. The story is cleverly written, and is available in English here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14593/14593-h/14593-h.htm#KAREN
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I am a athletic teenage Karen. I like this name becase you hardly hear it used in my age group, so it feels special to have a name that you don't hear everyday. I think that this name will become more popular in a few years.
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Karen in the movie "Leave It to Beaver" was Wally's girlfriend.
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Beautiful and gentle. Listen to it without care and feel the rich simplicity of it.
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I object to those who think this name is for a boring middle aged housewife. My friends would all agree that although I am 39, I am youthful and a lot of fun.
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Karen, singer of Raison Detre.
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'Ker-en'? I have always pronounced it 'Kaah-ren.' But, then again, my Brazilian cousin is called this and she pronounces in 'Kah-reen.'
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This name, for me, is a name for all ages. My best friend, who is Karen and is fourteen, has this name. My grandma who is fifty-something also has Karen, and they both go well with the name Karen. It's an awesome name!
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I'm sure it's pronounced differently, but apparently in Japanese, "Karen" can mean "lovely", "cute", "oppression (e.g. taxation)", "poor", "pitiful", or "sweet".
Or at least, according to this, it is. http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html
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Or at least, according to this, it is. http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html
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This is a name that has grown on me. I don't personally know one, but I like the name since it's short. If you really look at the name long enough, and forget about its past popularity, it could work.
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I think this is such a cute name, but the problem is that it sounds really dated now and makes me think of a middle-aged woman.
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To me, Karen sounds like the name of an annoying girl who tags along. Of course, I could be influenced by the Dane Cook routine, lol.
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Karen Marie Moning is an author.
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Karen Brewer was the main character in the children's book series "Babysitters Club Little Sister".
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There are authors named Karen Harper, Karen Kingsbury, Karen Robards and Karen Rose.
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Blah! This name is so typical and overused. It makes me think of a middle-aged woman.
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It sounds like a middle-aged housewife's name.
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My Danish aunt pronounced it KAH-ren. I've also known German-speaking people (Karin was their preferred spelling) who said it: ka-RIN.
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The mad hilarious character in Will and Grace is called Karen Walker played by Megan Mullally.
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Keren is the Hebrew word for Ray (of light). It's a very popular Israeli female name.
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Karen, Sharon and Darren would be good names for triplets.
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Karen Mülder was a great top mopdel from the 80's (Dutch).
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Karen Elson is a top fashion model and married to Jack White of the band The White Stripes.
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Karen Kain is a famous bearer of this name. She's a famous and ground-breaking ballerina who now teaches other dancers at the National Ballet of Canada.
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Karen Carpenter (of the 70's pop duo The Carpenters) was a famous bearer.
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I personally know (work with closely) eight Karens! We have had to come up with nicknames for all of them so we know which we are referring to (or say their last name too). They are all in between 40 & 50 years old.
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Actress Karen Allen is a famous bearer.
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Karen Kingsbury is a popular Christian author.
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Also the name of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's lead singer, Karen Olzarek (Karen O.)
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May also be traced back to the Hebrew name 'Keren', which means "horn", and appears several times in that form in the Old Testament.
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Karen means "pure maiden".
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