Karen

Karen (f) A Scandinavian form of Katrine, or
Katharine. Another spelling (the more usual one in
Scandinavian countries) is Karin. This is occasionally
used in Scotland. Karen was almost unknown in the
English-speaking world until the late 1930’S, yet by 1950
it was amongst the top ten names being given to girls born in the U.S.A. In 1958 it was in 4th position in England and Wales, becoming top name in 1960; though it has begun to fade away since 1970. In Scotland the name was in 30th position in 1958 and subsequently climbed much higher. An unofficial count made in 1975 showed that it was still one of the most frequently used names in Scotland.

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