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Name Lineage

    The first name Karin

    A girl’s name from Danish.

    Pronounced /ˈkærɪn/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Danish origin

    From Swedish Karin or Danish Karin, a medieval form of Katarina, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερῑ́νη (Aikaterī́nē). See also Karen.

    A form of Karen.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Karin last appeared in the official list in 2021, given to 7 girls. It peaked in 2010, with 13 births (#1,993).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    146
    babies named Karin, 1996–2025
    #3,192
    rank in 2021
    2010
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Karin at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 6 boys born in the United States were named Karin, the 11,333rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 1,051 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    28,731
    babies named Karin since 1880
    #11,333
    rank in 2025
    1970
    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.

    Karin in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Kaarina
    Finnish
    Karine
    French
    קרין
    Hebrew, also קארין

    Spelled Karin in Danish, Estonian, German, Norwegian and Swedish too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Karin

    67 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Karin Kneissl
      Austrian diplomat, journalist and politician, born 1965
    • Karin Dor
      German actress (1938-2017)
    • Karin Viard
      French actress, born 1966
    • Karin Balzer
      East German hurdler, 1938–2019
    • Karin Michaëlis
      Danish journalist and author (1872–1950)
    • Karin Schubert
      German mainstream and pornographic actress (1944-)
    • Karin Slaughter
      American crime writer, born 1971
    • Karin Büttner-Janz
      East German artistic gymnast (born 1952)
    • Karin Baal
      German actress (1940–2024)
    • Karin Mortensen
      Danish handball player, born 1977
    • Karin Moroder
      Cross-country skier, born 1974
    • Karin Metze
      East German rower, born 1956

    Questions

    What does the name Karin mean?
    From Swedish Karin or Danish Karin, a medieval form of Katarina, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερῑ́νη (Aikaterī́nē). See also Karen.
    What is the origin of the name Karin?
    From Swedish Karin or Danish Karin, a medieval form of Katarina, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερῑ́νη (Aikaterī́nē). See also Karen.
    How popular is the name Karin?
    In 2021, 7 girls born in England and Wales were named Karin, ranking 3,192nd. Its peak was 2010, with 13 births.
    Is Karin a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 28,731 US babies named Karin since 1880 were girls.
    When was Karin most popular?
    1970 in the United States, when 1,051 babies were named Karin, its highest rank at 278th.
    How do you pronounce Karin?
    Karin is /ˈkærɪn/, 2 syllables.
    What name is Karin a form of?
    Karin is a form of Karen.
    What are other spellings of Karin?
    Karina.