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Name Lineage

    The first name Kari

    A girl’s name from Swedish.

    Pronounced /ˈkɑː.ɹi/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Swedish origin

    From Norwegian Kari, diminutive of Katrine.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Kari last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1998, with 7 births (#2,165).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    101
    babies named Kari, 1996–2025
    #5,119
    rank in 2024
    1998
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kari with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Kari at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 90 girls born in the United States were named Kari, the 2,087th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1975, when 2,221 were.

    01,5003,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    60,627
    babies named Kari since 1880
    #2,087
    rank in 2025
    1975
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Kari

    32 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Kari Wahlgren
      American voice actress, born 1977
    • Kari Wuhrer
      American actress (b. 1967)
    • Kari Hotakainen
      Finnish writer, born 1957
    • Kari Matchett
      Canadian actress, born 1970
    • Kari Arkivuo
      Finnish footballer (b.1983)
    • Kari Lehtonen
      Finnish ice hockey player, born 1983
    • Kari Lake
      American journalist and politician, head of Voice of America (born 1969)
    • Kari Tapio
      Finnish singer (1945-2010)
    • Kari Ylianttila
      Finnish ski jumper, born 1953
    • Kari Skogland
      Canadian screenwriter, born 2000
    • Kari Ristanen
      Cross-country skier, born 1958
    • Kari Eloranta
      Finnish former ice hockey player, born 1956

    Questions

    What does the name Kari mean?
    From Norwegian Kari, diminutive of Katrine.
    What is the origin of the name Kari?
    From Norwegian Kari, diminutive of Katrine.
    How popular is the name Kari?
    In 2024, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Kari, ranking 5,119th. Its peak was 1998, with 7 births.
    Is Kari a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 98% of the 60,627 US babies named Kari since 1880 were girls.
    When was Kari most popular?
    1975 in the United States, when 2,221 babies were named Kari, its highest rank at 129th.
    How do you pronounce Kari?
    Kari is /ˈkɑː.ɹi/, 2 syllables.