Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1964

Karyn

Meaning A 20th-century spelling variant of Karen Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A 20th-century spelling variant of Karen.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Karyn
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1964
607 babies
All-time total
14,140
#1,338 all-time among girls
First recorded
1932
in Social Security records

Karyn popularity over time

14,140 babies have been named Karyn since 1932, 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 55 – 55 6 – #1,704
1940s 967 – 967 97 +1658% #613
1950s 1,856 – 1,856 186 +92% #586
1960s 4,311 – 4,311 431 +132% #395
1970s 3,671 – 3,671 367 -15% #430
1980s 1,710 5 1,715 172 -53% #652
1990s 939 – 939 94 -45% #1,181
2000s 424 – 424 42 -55% #2,295
2010s 185 – 185 19 -56% #5,171
2020s (to 2025) 17 – 17 3 -85% #9,901

The story of Karyn

Karyn 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 1932, 14,140 American babies have been named Karyn. Its peak came in 1964, when 607 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Karyn?

The median living Karyn is about 55 years old; half are between 45 and 62. An estimated 13 thousand people named Karyn are alive in the United States today.

median 55 020406080100

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

Karyn 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 – – – –
2024 7 #12,783 – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 10 #9,901 – –
2019 13 #8,363 – –
2018 12 #8,893 – –
2017 23 #5,585 – –
2016 19 #6,542 – –
2015 10 #10,491 – –
2014 17 #7,147 – –
2013 17 #7,210 – –
2012 24 #5,634 – –
2011 23 #5,835 – –
2010 27 #5,171 – –
2009 38 #4,057 – –
2008 36 #4,316 – –
2007 27 #5,304 – –
2006 43 #3,650 – –
2005 35 #4,069 – –
2004 42 #3,532 – –
2003 42 #3,442 – –
2002 47 #3,084 – –
2001 46 #3,073 – –
2000 68 #2,295 – –
1995 80 #1,795 – –
1990 145 #1,181 – –
1985 151 #1,010 – –
1980 281 #652 – –
1975 340 #519 – –
1970 460 #459 – –
1965 510 #412 – –
1960 242 #651 – –
1955 151 #786 – –
1950 206 #586 – –
1945 82 #835 – –
1940 25 #1,567 – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Karyn

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

  1. 1 Karyn Parsons Karyn Parsons American actress (born 1966) Contemporary
  2. 2 Karyn Kusama Karyn Kusama American filmmaker (born 1968) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Karyn?

The median living Karyn is about 55 years old. Half of all living Karyns are between 45 and 62 years old.

How many people named Karyn are alive today?

An estimated 13 thousand people named Karyn are alive in the United States, based on 14,140 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Karyn mean?

A 20th-century spelling variant of Karen.

How popular is the name Karyn in 2025?

Karyn 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 Karyn?

14,140 babies have been named Karyn in the United States since 1932, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Karyn most popular?

Karyn peaked in 1964, when 607 newborns received the name.

Is Karyn a boy or girl name?

Karyn is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Karyn rising or falling?

Karyn is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Karyn?

Well-known people named Karyn include Karyn Parsons (actor), Karyn Kusama (film director).

Names like Karyn

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

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