Karen (name)
| Pronunciation | /ˈkærən/ KARR-ən |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex |
| Language(s) | Germanic |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Katherine, Karina, Karin |
Karen is a given name. In English, it is a feminine name related to Katherine and other similar Germanic language names. In Iran and Armenia however, it is a masculine name deriving from other non-Germanic languages. The name is also found in modern Africa, as well as in Asia.
In English, Europe, and Scandinavia
In English, Karen is usually a feminine given name.
The name Karen was one of the top 10 names for girls born in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, peaking as the 3rd most popular girl's name in 1965.[1]
Karen is a Danish short form of "Katherine". It has been common in the English-speaking world since the 1940s. Variants include Caja, Kaja (Danish), Caren, Caryn, Karena, Kaat, Karin, Karyn, Kerena, Karen (English). The name is used in the Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, German and English languages.[2]
In Armenia and Iran
| Pronunciation | [kɒː'ræn] |
|---|---|
| Gender | masculine |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | pure |
| Region of origin | Iran, Armenia |
In Armenia and Iran, Karen is a common masculine given name.
The masculine given name Karen derived from the Persian name of House of Karen (or Caren), one of the seven aristocratic families of the Parthian Empire. Several Persian princes named Karen are known before and after the Islamic period. The Karen house ruled the Tabaristan region of Iran, which approximately corresponds to the current provinces of Gilan state and Mazandaran. Moreover, Karen means a brave (or a valorous) man in Persian.
In Armenian, Karen is also derived from the ancient Armenian masculine given name Kar. Kar Haykazuni, for example, was a king of ancient Armenia who reigned from 1287 to 1283 B.C. during the Hayk Nahapet dynasty.[3]
The masculine given name Garen is a Western Armenian form of the Eastern Armenian Karen.
The masculine given name Karen was mentioned by the prominent Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi (ca. 410–490s AD; Armenian: Մովսես Խորենացի) in his book History of Armenia.[4]
Karen can also be a surname.
In Africa
In Africa, Karen is a feminine given name. It can be found in the southern two-thirds of the continent. Some countries include Guyana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
In Asia
In Asia, Karen is a feminine given name. The name can be found in Japan, and less commonly in such places as China and Malaysia.
Notable people named Karen
First name
Surname
- Anna Karen (born 1936), British actress
- James Karen (born 1923), American actor
Armenian and Iranian men named Karen
- Karen Asrian (1980–2008), Armenian chess grandmaster
- Karen Demirchyan (1932–1999), Armenian politician
- Karen Drambjan (1954–2011), Armenian-born Estonian lawyer, politician and activist
- Karen Khachaturian (1920-2011), Armenian/Russian composer
- Karen Sargsyan, Armenian choirmaster
- Karen Shakhnazarov (born 1952), Russian filmmaker, producer and screenwriter of Armenian origins
- Zarmihr Karen (died 558), Iranian nobleman and Sasanian governor of Zabulistan
African people named Karen
- Karen King-Aribisala, Nigerian writer
- Karen Muir (1952-2013), South African swimmer
- Karen Press (born 1956), South African poet
- Karen Zoid (born 1987), South African rock singer
Asian people named Karen
- Karen Iwata (born 1998), Japanese singer
- Karen Kong (born 1984), Malaysian-Chinese singer
- Karen Makishima (born 1976), Japanese politician
- Karen Miyama (born 1996), Japanese actress
- Karen Nun-Ira (born 1991), Japanese judoka
- Karen Tanaka (born 1961), Japanese composer
- Karen Yu (born 1980), Taiwanese politician
Fictional people named Karen
Live action
Animation
See also
References
- ^ Davidson, Andrew (2007), Population Statistics for Karen, Raleigh, NC: nameplayground.com
- ^ Вehind the Name
- ^ king of ancient Armenia
- ^ History of the Armenia by Movses Khorenatsi: Book_2_#28 and Book_2_#68
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