Caren
A female given name from Ancient Greek, a less common spelling of Karen.
Every Caren since 1925 — 9,560 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Caren
Caren is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1925, 9,560 American babies have been named Caren. Its peak came in 1957, when 387 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Caren stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Caren year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | 6 | #14,158 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,606 |
| 2017 | 11 | #9,441 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,074 |
| 2015 | 6 | #14,864 |
| 2014 | 8 | #12,164 |
| 2013 | 5 | #17,052 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6,929 |
| 2011 | 22 | #5,981 |
| 2010 | 25 | #5,457 |
| 2009 | 29 | #4,963 |
| 2008 | 33 | #4,562 |
| 2007 | 52 | #3,257 |
| 2006 | 55 | #3,060 |
| 2005 | 37 | #3,888 |
| 2004 | 44 | #3,401 |
| 2003 | 44 | #3,302 |
| 2002 | 41 | #3,347 |
| 2001 | 46 | #3,056 |
| 2000 | 47 | #2,984 |
| 1995 | 31 | #3,506 |
| 1990 | 61 | #2,131 |
| 1985 | 72 | #1,633 |
| 1980 | 100 | #1,276 |
| 1975 | 129 | #964 |
| 1970 | 172 | #803 |
| 1965 | 259 | #597 |
| 1960 | 288 | #583 |
| 1955 | 283 | #546 |
| 1950 | 171 | #652 |
| 1945 | 104 | #731 |
| 1940 | 49 | #1,024 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,079 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Caren
- Caren Metschuck Swimmer · b. 1963
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Caren mean?
A female given name from Ancient Greek, a less common spelling of Karen.
How popular is the name Caren in 2025?
Caren did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Caren?
9,560 babies have been named Caren in the United States since 1925, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Caren most popular?
Caren peaked in 1957, when 387 newborns received the name.
Is Caren a boy or girl name?
Caren is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Caren rising or falling?
Caren is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Caren?
Well-known people named Caren include Caren Metschuck (swimmer).