Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1956

Karan

Gender Unisex · 70% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A female given name of North American usage, variant of Karen.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
12
named Karan
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1956
170 babies
All-time total
4,962
#3,290 all-time among girls
First recorded
1936
in Social Security records

Karan popularity over time

4,962 babies have been named Karan since 1936, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s 64 – 64 6 – #1,494
1940s 769 – 769 77 +1102% #811
1950s 1,316 – 1,316 132 +71% #746
1960s 849 – 849 85 -35% #1,004
1970s 267 5 272 27 -68% #1,743
1980s 105 111 216 22 -21% #4,835
1990s 60 529 589 59 +173% #7,255
2000s 20 552 572 57 -3% #11,154
2010s – 234 234 23 -59% –
2020s (to 2025) – 81 81 14 -42% –

The story of Karan

Karan 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 1936, 4,962 American babies have been named Karan, about 70% girls and 30% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1956, when 170 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 Karan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Karan?

The median living Karan is about 60 years old; half are between 29 and 70. An estimated 4,300 people named Karan are alive in the United States today.

median 60 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Karan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 12 #7,005
2024 – – 16 #5,778
2023 – – 16 #5,791
2022 – – 9 #8,650
2021 – – 16 #5,668
2020 – – 12 #6,822
2019 – – 16 #5,684
2018 – – 18 #5,208
2017 – – 16 #5,662
2016 – – 17 #5,431
2015 – – 23 #4,350
2014 – – 19 #4,974
2013 – – 30 #3,541
2012 – – 34 #3,273
2011 – – 28 #3,735
2010 – – 33 #3,349
2009 – – 47 #2,639
2008 – – 35 #3,257
2007 – – 38 #3,054
2006 – – 41 #2,809
2005 – – 63 #1,997
2004 9 #11,154 73 #1,737
2003 6 #14,760 68 #1,772
2002 – – 60 #1,880
2001 – – 77 #1,569
2000 5 #16,239 50 #2,033
1995 10 #8,381 78 #1,332
1990 – – 37 #2,031
1985 10 #6,676 7 #5,455
1980 13 #5,368 – –
1975 23 #3,093 – –
1970 45 #1,918 – –
1965 91 #1,102 – –
1960 110 #1,027 – –
1955 156 #766 – –
1950 106 #863 – –
1945 59 #1,007 – –
1940 31 #1,362 – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Karan

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Karan Johar Karan Johar Indian filmmaker and host (born 1972) Contemporary
  2. 2 Karan Singh Grover Karan Singh Grover Indian model and actor (born 1982) Contemporary
  3. 3 Karan Brar Karan Brar American actor (born 1999) Contemporary
  4. 4 Karan Singh Karan Singh Indian politician (born 1931) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Karan, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Karan?

The median living Karan is about 60 years old. Half of all living Karans are between 29 and 70 years old.

How many people named Karan are alive today?

An estimated 4,300 people named Karan are alive in the United States, based on 4,962 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Karan mean?

A female given name of North American usage, variant of Karen.

How popular is the name Karan in 2025?

Karan 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 Karan?

4,962 babies have been named Karan in the United States since 1936, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Karan most popular?

Karan peaked in 1956, when 170 newborns received the name.

Is Karan a boy or girl name?

Karan is used for both: about 70% of babies named Karan have been girls and 30% boys.

Is the name Karan rising or falling?

Karan has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Karan?

Well-known people named Karan include Karan Johar (film director), Karan Singh Grover (actor), Karan Brar (actor).

Names like Karan

Names that sound and feel close to Karan: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Karan with similar names → More names starting with K →