Karan
A female given name of North American usage, variant of Karen.
Every Karan since 1936 — 4,962 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Karan Singh Politician · b. 1931
- Karan Johar Film director · b. 1972
- Karan Brar Actor · b. 1999
- Karan Singh Grover Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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 Singh (politician), Karan Johar (film director), Karan Brar (actor).