Karim: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#1,084

among boys · ↓263 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

198

named Karim · -35% vs 2024

How common

1 in 8,627

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2023

376 babies

All-time total

6,944

#1,475 all-time among boys

First recorded

1957

in Social Security records

Karim popularity over time

6,944 babies have been named Karim since 1957, 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

BoysGirls

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	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	25	25	3	–	#2,728
1960s	–	132	132	13	+428%	#1,793
1970s	43	626	669	67	+407%	#863
1980s	10	646	656	66	-2%	#1,041
1990s	–	831	831	83	+27%	#1,105
2000s	–	1,242	1,242	124	+49%	#1,163
2010s	5	1,771	1,776	178	+43%	#914
2020s (to 2025)	–	1,613	1,613	269	+51%	#707

Where Karim is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	210	0.12	outside top 500
2027	221	0.13	outside top 500
2028	231	0.14	outside top 500
2029	239	0.14	outside top 500
2030	247	0.14	outside top 500

Where Karim is most popular

Boys named Karim per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.162 per 1,000. Strongest in Arizona, California, and Illinois.

Vs national average

well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Karim born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State	Boys 2021–2025	Per 1,000	vs national
Arizona	62	0.379	+134%
California	269	0.294	+81%
Illinois	70	0.274	+69%
Texas	237	0.269	+66%
New York	96	0.222	+37%
Florida	102	0.215	+33%
New Jersey	43	0.214	+32%
New Mexico	6	0.182	+12%
Washington	27	0.165	≈ national
North Carolina	41	0.161	≈ national
Georgia	38	0.150	-8%
Michigan	28	0.137	-16%
Oklahoma	12	0.136	-16%
Virginia	22	0.116	-29%
Tennessee	20	0.111	-32%
Connecticut	6	0.089	-45%
Colorado	11	0.085	-47%
Kansas	5	0.073	-55%
South Carolina	7	0.068	-58%
Oregon	5	0.066	-59%
Ohio	17	0.064	-60%
Utah	5	0.052	-68%
Maryland	6	0.050	-69%
Alabama	5	0.046	-72%
Wisconsin	5	0.042	-74%
Pennsylvania	10	0.038	-77%
Indiana	5	0.031	-81%
Alaska	–	–	–
Arkansas	–	–	–
District of Columbia	–	–	–
Delaware	–	–	–
Hawaii	–	–	–
Iowa	–	–	–
Idaho	–	–	–
Kentucky	–	–	–
Louisiana	–	–	–
Massachusetts	–	–	–
Maine	–	–	–
Minnesota	–	–	–
Missouri	–	–	–
Mississippi	–	–	–
Montana	–	–	–
North Dakota	–	–	–
Nebraska	–	–	–
New Hampshire	–	–	–
Nevada	–	–	–
Rhode Island	–	–	–
South Dakota	–	–	–
Vermont	–	–	–
West Virginia	–	–	–
Wyoming	–	–	–

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Karim

Karim is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,084 in 2025 with 198 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1957, 6,944 American babies have been named Karim. Its peak came in 2023, when 376 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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 Karim stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Karim?

The median living Karim is about 16 years old; half are between 6 and 31. An estimated 6,800 people named Karim are alive in the United States today.

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

Karim 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	–	–	198	#1,084
2024	–	–	305	#821
2023	–	–	376	#707
2022	–	–	328	#772
2021	–	–	194	#1,089
2020	–	–	212	#1,000
2019	–	–	192	#1,063
2018	–	–	180	#1,092
2017	–	–	193	#1,044
2016	–	–	236	#914
2015	–	–	179	#1,091
2014	–	–	180	#1,076
2013	–	–	162	#1,121
2012	–	–	155	#1,177
2011	5	#18,156	141	#1,238
2010	–	–	153	#1,181
2009	–	–	153	#1,183
2008	–	–	131	#1,328
2007	–	–	119	#1,382
2006	–	–	131	#1,280
2005	–	–	120	#1,286
2004	–	–	131	#1,186
2003	–	–	129	#1,163
2002	–	–	122	#1,163
2001	–	–	114	#1,194
2000	–	–	92	#1,377
1995	–	–	73	#1,387
1990	–	–	78	#1,258
1985	–	–	58	#1,263
1980	5	#11,115	76	#1,041
1975	10	#5,727	74	#957
1970	8	#6,045	23	#1,875
1965	–	–	20	#1,793
1960	–	–	9	#2,971
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Karim

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

1 Karim Khan Zand Vakil ol-Ra'aya of Iran from 1751 to 1779 1705–1779 · 18th century
2 Karim Rekik Dutch association football player b. 1994 · Contemporary
3 Karim Boudiaf Qatari footballer (born 1990) Contemporary
4 Karim Massimov Kazakh politician (born 1965) Contemporary
5 Karim Hafez Egyptian footballer (born 1996) Contemporary
6 Karim Bellarabi German footballer (born 1990) Contemporary
7 Karim Bagheri Iranian footballer and coach b. 1974 · Contemporary
8 Karim Rashid American industrial designer (born 1960) Contemporary
9 Karim El Ahmadi Footballer (born 1985) Contemporary
10 Karim Khalili Afghan Hazara politician b. 1950 · Contemporary
11 Karim Ziani Algerian footballer (born 1982) Contemporary
12 Karim Haggui Tunisian footballer (born 1984) Contemporary
13 Karim Matmour Algerian footballer (born 1985) Contemporary
14 Karim Guédé Slovak footballer (born 1985) Contemporary
15 Karim Saidi Tunisian footballer b. 1983 · Contemporary
16 Karim Maroc Algerian footballer (born 1958) Contemporary
17 Karim Essediri Footballer (born 1979) Contemporary
18 Karim Findi Writer, Iraq b. 1946 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Karim?

The median living Karim is about 16 years old. Half of all living Karims are between 6 and 31 years old.

How many people named Karim are alive today?

An estimated 6,800 people named Karim are alive in the United States, based on 6,944 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Karim mean?

From Arabic كَرِيم (karīm, “noble, generous”).

How popular is the name Karim in 2025?

Karim ranked #1,084 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 198 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Karim?

6,944 babies have been named Karim in the United States since 1957, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Karim most popular?

Karim peaked in 2023, when 376 newborns received the name.

Is Karim a boy or girl name?

Karim is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Karim rising or falling?

Karim is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Karim become more popular?

Karim is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 247 boys named Karim in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Karim?

Well-known people named Karim include Karim Khan Zand (politician), Karim Rekik (soccer player), Karim Boudiaf (soccer player).

Names like Karim

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

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