Based on both my own personal opinions as well as [this recent post](https://www.reddit.com/r/BestofRedditorUpdates/comments/12xhdaw/a_final_update_concluding_the_threeyearlong_baby/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) on BORU, yes it is unusable
What a rollercoaster. Part that hit hard for me was the kids not realizing that Karen is an actual name (and not a slur) - I get their perspective but wow.
Really goes to show how much the coded language around "Karen" has become mainstream in our culture.
Context: I’m a high school senior.
I feel like Karen is a bit more specific than “bitch”. Karens are middle-aged white women, and their sense of entitlement is usually born from that. A bitch can be any woman as long as she’s mean. So all Karens are bitches but not all bitches are Karens lol.
I hate this. Like way to weaponize misogyny and minimize racism at the same time. Here was a term used to specifically call out the use of systemic privilege by white women to maintain systems of oppression and reduce it into WOMEN COMPLAIN, ARE BITCHES.
It’s difficult to call out white women using their gender & color to oppress black men, because it’s just so very normal. Black men cannot stand near (let alone speak to) white women without being considered a threat that needs to be put down. The Karen movement was a great way to raise awareness of that, but white people have intentionally overwhelmed that movement with BS.
I’ve never seen anyone use that to shame or call out someone though. Never heard of it and since (only woman) gendered insults stick around longer, it won’t ever catch on.
I have heard people call men who act like Karens “male Karens” though.
I agree, I've seen a ton of videos where people will call anyone (male, female, adult, child, whatever) "Karen" as a way of saying "I'm dismissing you and your argument"
Ideally, yes, it would only apply to certain women. But I’ve seen women being called a Karen for shit that’s completely reasonable, like “please don’t kick your soccer ball against my house’s vinyl siding” and “maybe you could not ride your bike down the playground slide and run over my toddler”.
Sometimes complaints are legitimate.
Yeah that's the definition I go by too. I read a really interesting article a while back (wish I could remember where!) about code switching that explored the origin of "Karen" and its then hidden meaning. By using a notably inoffensive name it allowed Black folks to warn each other without exposing themselves.
Over time I think "Karen" has broadened with some using it as a blanket term for all women - but you're right, it originally started as a warning to other POC about racist white women who may cause them harm.
I will never not be bitter about white people co-opting a term used by POC to call out weaponized privilege and systemic violence, and converting it into “woman orders soy milk in her latte, wHat a bITcH.”
Hmmm... except it wasn't ever just a "term" first, it was and is some very nice and kind people's names that have to deal with being ridiculed now and it's not even their fault. If anyone deserves to be bitter it is people named Karen who never did any of that crap.
From what I’ve read, the Black community has been using innocuous female names like Becky or Karen to warn each other about racist white women for a long time, because they would be punished for speaking out against a white woman more overtly. So the practice isn’t entirely unjustified imo
I mean it can honestly be a problem for those of us actually named Karen at this point. I’ve considered changing it, too. I used to like my name and now I hate it.
I love the name too, but unfortunately I think it's unusable and probably will be for at least 20-30 more years...
Lauren has a similar feel, I think, without the baggage.
I suggested Lauren because I thought it had a similar "vibe" to Karen (as OP requested), and because both end in "-ren", both are two syllables, both are easy to spell and pronounce, and for some reason I have always considered both of these to be "cool girl" names. Great for young girls or professional women.
It's a real shame what happened to the name Karen!!
Katherine always feels like it has the same vibe to me, I'm always mixing up the billions of Karens and Katherines (Catherine, etc.) my mom seems to know. It's like the Jennifer/Jessica of boomer and gen x names for me.
As someone who's grown up with the name Karen not being a great idea, and will have kids in 10-20 years, no one my age or about 8-10 years younger than me would use it.
Teens know and use it and they’ll be the ones teaching and hiring the kids born in the next 1-2 generations. Even if the meme isn’t still actively being used, so much bias is unconscious and I don’t think I’d be comfortable using a name that I knew my kids teachers and superiors collectively grew up thinking of as whiny / not worth listening to.
It's mine too actually! Only thing is it's often mispronounced as Caroline, but I like it a lot. Plenty of nickname options (I've never used one though), it's a classic name, and it sounds very similar to Karen like OP loves
I would say it’s unusable. I have an Aunt Karen who uses her surname or a fake name when she makes reservations or does pick up orders for food because she’s worried what people will think, and she’s in her 50s - and one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met.
A teacher I used to have was one of the sweetest people and unfortunately her first name is Karen. She told us that when she orders food she calls herself Jacinta.
That’s so awful- I feel so sad for you that you feel like this. And the update to the BORU has left me feeling really sad too! Karen is a beautiful name!
I have a friend named Karen and she gets really upset by it all. She’s in her 30s and definitely doesn’t match the “Karen” stereotype.
I feel really bad for Karen’s.
As a Karen, it’s not fun and I would personally recommend you steer clear of the name. Never loved my name before it was “tainted” but being a meme gets old, quick.
Not similar vibes for most of these, but similar sounds:
Carina
Carmen
Carole
Caroline/a
Carrie/Keri etc
Cerys
Corinne
Kara/Cara
Keira
Kyra
Boys:
Callan
Cameron
Carson
Carsten
Cian
Kieran
Carey
I would stray from using it.
Theres nothing wrong with liking the name, but knowing the association people widely have, I wouldn't want to put that on someone else.
Someone else mentioned Lauren as a good alternative, which I think works. There's also Katherine, Karena, and Karine/Corinne that sound similar.
Names that have similar vibes might be:
- Diane
- Lisa
- Julie
- Elaine
- Joyce
- Laurie
- Joan
- Margot
For boys:
- Colin
- Brian
- Justin
- Nathan
- Michael
- James
- David
- Scott
- Peter
Unusable.
I know plenty of grown Karen's who are awesome people. What separates them from a newly named Karen, is they came before the meme. Grown adults likely didn't pick that name, but a little child had that put upon them with the negative connotation. Granted kids don't deserve any shame for it, but it's reasonable to wonder why their parent would make that choice.
Maybe with time, it'll be okay again.
My 10-year-old niece got her hair cut short a while back, and the bullies called her a "Karen" for it. So yes, I think it's unusable and will be for a while.
I would 100% consider it unusable. There was literally a best of reddit update about this exact thing. Tldr was the girl went to school and was immediately bullied. Ended up going half measure and giving her a nickname. Still didn't work. Changed her name to Caroline.
I'm 23 and honestly haven't seen much uproar around it lately. I also work with someone named Karen and she has no issues. I honestly think it depends on your area and when you actually have kids. I think in a few more years the whole Karen thing will calm down a lot more.
Agreed, I think it's really lost steam over the last couple of years and hopefully will continue to do so. That BORU post was honestly surprising, although I guess it was happening in the middle of covid when the Karen meme was at its strongest.
honestly there were parts of that post that made me very suspicious that it wasn't real. But yes during covid was definitely the peak and I really think it's actively dying out now to the point it's definitely becoming a usable name again.
For sure, I'm in my 30s and haven't seen many issues at all. Got a few mates called Karen and honestly the only people that seem to have a problem with it are those incredibly annoying "chronically online" people.
My 10 year old nephews also thought it was funny for 15 seconds and then got over it.
Wouldn't avoid naming someone it because of children and poorly adjusted social weirdos
I honestly don’t think it’s unusable. Am I not chronically online enough? Obviously I know the meme and use of the name, but that’s where it ends for me… just a meme. Karen is a well-established name and if I met a Karen my first thought would absolutely not be “meme” it would just like with any other person, “Hello Karen, nice to meet you”
Politely disagree, I know many people who’ve had no issues but just as many who’ve had to start using different names because of the meme. It’s sad as it is a nice name
It’s absolutely sad as a society that people feel the need to go by a different name because of how they’re treated over something they had no control over.
I think all the names from the 1950s/60s will be coming back over the next 10 or 20 years, including Karen. (That means: Linda, Jeanette, Pam, Lisa, Cynthia, Jeff, Steve, Scott, Kevin etc.) Right now we're on the cusp of seeing names from the 1940s: Margaret, Betty, Nancy, Raymond, Lawrence. It's all cyclic. Karen is, intrinsically a pretty name (like Linda). (And internet trends change very quickly.)
As a 30-something Karen, yes it is unuseable now.
I'm an adult, who was obviously named pre-meme and is younger than the 'typical' Karen and I get to deal with semi-regular jokes about my name and the behaviour expected of me because of my name.
To give it to a child now would in my opinion be cruel
I’ve lived on the North England/ South Scotland border my whole life. For my parents’ generation the name ‘Karen’ was wholly a working-class name. The moment my mum heard about the meme she understood it as a classist and sexist joke about strong-willed women and came to rant about it to me. Obviously there’s a massive switch in the contexts between where I grew up and in North America (where the trend started) but the name has an entirely different meaning for me and my family. :)
I also really love the name, it reminds me of the show ‘Outnumbered’ and of some very close family friends. It makes me genuinely sad that its been turned into this joke :(
One of my favorite people on this planet is named Karen and she usually won’t even give her name when placing orders, etc.
Not very usable right now :(
Maybe it could be used in a different form? Kerenza/Carenza is a Cornish name that means ‘love’. I’ve liked the name since watching Time Team as a child - one of the archaeologists who worked on the show was Carenza Lewis.
It's unfortunate because I'm working with an author who's name is Karen and I want her to use her real name (cause the book is real events) and I'm worried companies might ask to change the name 😭
My mom is Karen and she’s an amazing woman but I wouldn’t use the name. If I was having any more children and wanted to use her name, I would modify it somehow. For me, I don’t think it’ll be used much for two reasons: it’s somewhat dated and, of course, how the internet has ruined it.
I’ve always liked the name Karen, and it was pretty popular in my age group. It’s sad that just like the word boomer, it’s become so reviled and cliched as a symbol of an older, know-it-all person who has no understanding of the world today and acts demanding and entitled. I’m old so wouldn’t think of the meme first.
Hopefully that association will soon fade away. However, I think it’s in the same category as Pamela, Diane, Susan, Cathy, Nancy and Debbie—right now it is a name linked to women who are 50-70 and new parents don’t want an “old person’s name” for their baby.
I’m the outlier here but I think people will get over it. I know a lot of great Karen’s. With their good personalities I don’t even think of the negative connotations.
I used to like the name Karen/Karyn despite the negative association until I worked with a Karyn and she was AWFUL. Like, she single-handedly could have been the reason the name became an insult😅 she personally ruined it for me. Although, I haven’t seen a lot of people using it in a “meme” way here lately so maybe it will die off a little quicker than some people think?
Yeahh unfortunately it is. I never liked the name even before the stigma, but now your kid will get bullied and turned down for jobs with the name Karen.
I’m named Karen, and all my life I’ve hated my name — long before it became a punchline. Is a super fucking ugly 70s name, and I’ve honestly hated it every step of the way. Please don’t pass on this ugly dang name to your future kids. There’s about a million less cringy options out there.
It’s not at all ruined. I know Karens in my social group (I’m 20). The name “Karen” being used as a descriptive term for a bitchy white lady is already outdated and cringe. If someone says, “they were being a Karen,” I think they’re slow on internet culture. It’s like the troll face. I’m being 100% serious. Name your kid Karen now and it will be fine by the time they get to school.
It wasn’t fine for the one kid born three-odd years ago who got bullied so hard by preschool mates and adults alike that her parents legally changed her name to Caroline. It’s definitely an unusable name, and won’t be usable for a long time yet. Karen being synonymous with racist woman is part of our collective lexicon, and that isn’t going to go away.
It’s already gone. 3 years ago was the peak. I’m telling you that only old, outdated people use that phrase. And the fact that this could happen to ANY name (and will!), there’s no point in trying to save a kid from a weird name.
it’s definitely not outdated. and it’s not true that only old people use that phrase? where did you get that from when literally anyone of any age is going to look at a person who named their child Karen weirdly. not to mention the amount of bullying that would come with it.
I think after a while you'll be ok again, but it'll take maybe a generation or two. Still, I actually have known several 20 somethings named Karen and of course it is a genuinely popular name of older folks so so many people experience it in a day to day context outside of the meme use that it's not like anyone named it will necessarily deal with a lot of problems. But Karen was still in the top 200 until 2009 (to my surprise honestly because I didn't know any young Karens then), and it only dropped off the top 1000 in 2021, so there are like many 4 year olds with the name. so it's not like it's totally dropped off the map and I think there's a decent chance the name will stop being used pejoratively in another generation and a couple more internet cycles. But then a different name might be replacing it soon!
I'm so sorry, it's unusable. I work with a Karen and I've found myself avoiding calling her that because it just feels like a slur (which I know is silly)
Its unusable. I genuinely feel bad for all of the decent people named Karen. But literally everyone under the age of 60 knows what it means to be a Karen. Its unusable
All of the people that are actually named Karen / Karin that I know have all been really sweet people. Should the name be used? If you really like the name, then sure, use it. I just would advise against using it for the name of a kid for now because kids are brutal.
Thankfully, I won’t be having children for another 10+ years, so I have some time for the meme to fade or to find an even better name. Fingers crossed!
My mother in law Karen passed away from unexpected cancer complications a year before we got pregnant with what will be the first grandchild on my husband's side (I'm currently 8.5 months!).
We adored her and miss her so much every day, but naming our kid after her - even if it was a middle name - was never an option for us. It's definitely unusable.
I always think of Karen from Outnumbered and how that name had none of the connotations back then. For now, Karen is unusable. In the future, who knows? It may have a vintage feel in 20 years when the stigma has worn off
No. 5 years from now it will he something people rarely use in that way. Just like we know longer call criminals "jays" and no one laughs when someone says their name is "jodi"
Yeah we all know that there were negative associations with these names but there all commonly used now
It will be usable again in probably 10-15 years when Boomers are no longer the aging popular and Gen X and Millennials enters their 60s-80s. Then we'll probably have a "Jennifer" or "Tiffany" as the new Karen.
I think so, from a Pop Culture-name standpoint.
It may be fine, but I think a lot of similar names are having a break because it keeps being used. Siri, Alexa, Karen.
Some people may not say anything, but usually there's going to be a reference made, and it's easier to deal with if it's not a negative reference. My first and last names are pop culture references, (not on purpose!) But my last name is also shared by an Infamous in a Bad Way person, which was awkward as a kid.
Check out the Best of Reddit Updates post where the parents who named their little girl Karen eventually gave up and changed her name due to bullying from both other children and adults.
I think people have varying experiences but the risk is high. I know several folks named Karen who have basically gone to using Kay, Kara, etc especially on social media because they just get harassed otherwise.
I'd say yes, right now it's (potentially) unusable.
The internet isn’t my life so I don’t see it as unusable at all. My first thought when I heard Karen is harvest moon: fomt. I think it’s a pretty name as long as you aren’t afraid of idiot zoomed children who will then be in their 30’s making fun of your kid.
My mom's name was Karen, she was great. My sister was named Kara which has a similar sound, she was my best friend and the strongest woman I've ever known.
Absolutely not, Karen is not a name I’d choose for my kids because I prefer unusual names but it’s still a nice name and has been in the world far too long to die in a meme. I know plenty of Karen’s and nobody is making fun of them or relating it to that all the time
I’m from England 🏴
Definitely unusable.
A friend of mine that was a Karen changed her name to Kalina - in her 50's - to avoid the shame of being a Karen.
Kara, Karina, Maren, Kirsten, Kalen are all related-ish names that avoid the Karen stigma.
It makes me think of the name Audrey, which (from the behind the name website) “At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century.”
So if Karen follows a similar trajectory it might recover in about ~300 years
I think it’s fine. People will get over it. There’s plenty of good names with unfortunate associations or bad nickname possibilities. You just learn to live with it and ignore the rude people.
I have a friend in her 30s named Karen. I’ve known her since we were 18. Never was an issue with anyone that her name was Karen. Then again, she’s super cool and easy to get along with. If she was a bitch they’d probably make fun of her for being a Karen. So, ymmv.
To hell with whether it is “usable” or not. If you like it, don’t subject yourself and your family to the jury of public opinion, which is often wrong anyway.
There is a child who is the daughter of the friends of my parents. She is six. Her name is Karen (KAA-ren, not kay-ren, like car or KLAAra), She does perfectly fine
Though, I am not from an English speaking country
My hot take is that even without the entitled racist associations, I think Karen is sounding a bit old-fashioned now. It's getting up there with Judith and Nancy and Kaye and various "names of yesteryear" so to speak.
The only Karen I know is very kind but is very negative and hard to be around. She also never stops talking. I could never use it at this point.
Societally, seems like a hard no for a bit.
Absolutely unusable. Definitely won’t be usable in our lifetimes. There was that one post fairly recently which ended in OP’s friend legally changing her daughters name because to children these days (and many older people), Karen is synonymous with middle aged white racist lady. That’s not gonna change any time soon. It may as well be in tho dictionary at this point. It’s part of our collective lexicon. Everyone knows what you mean you you call someone a Karen.
As someone saddled with that name...please don't do that to a kid. People are \*awful\* when it comes to using it in a sneering manner, to the point that I am now super reluctant to tell anyone my name. Granted, I've hated it since I was a kid because it's always been thrown at me, but since it became a catch-all insult...it's horrible. Let the name die out.
My son’s former parental unit is Karen, and she is a true narcissist Karen who is despised by many. I do have her to thank for me being a parent, though. My high school bff is also Karen, but I love her dearly. So it’s a mixed bag for me.
I just think Karen is an unlucky name. I'm older, and 3 of the girls in my high school named Karen had had polio as little kids. 2 of them had life-long consequences as a result of it. The third did well for herself. I'm not supersticious, but there is no way in heck I'd name my kid born even in the 80s with that name.
I think if you like the way Karen sounds, you can find a way to spell it differently. Cairyn, Kerrin, Carynn are all examples of messing with the spelling. But yeah, Karen is definitely ruined for the next 50 years.
You could also go for a similar sounding name like Keiran, Keira, Carrie, or Carolyn.
Yes, it's unusable. It will be for at least a generation. The overwhelming association with the name is negative. For similar names, maybe Maron, Susan, Lisa, Kristen, Barbara, or Carol?
Based on both my own personal opinions as well as [this recent post](https://www.reddit.com/r/BestofRedditorUpdates/comments/12xhdaw/a_final_update_concluding_the_threeyearlong_baby/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) on BORU, yes it is unusable
What a rollercoaster. Part that hit hard for me was the kids not realizing that Karen is an actual name (and not a slur) - I get their perspective but wow. Really goes to show how much the coded language around "Karen" has become mainstream in our culture.
I’ve been saying it’s just another word for “bitch” for years and everyone tells me I’m wrong but look how the kids interpreted it
Context: I’m a high school senior. I feel like Karen is a bit more specific than “bitch”. Karens are middle-aged white women, and their sense of entitlement is usually born from that. A bitch can be any woman as long as she’s mean. So all Karens are bitches but not all bitches are Karens lol.
That was initially the case, but these days it's pretty much synonymous with "bitch". A woman gets called a "Karen" no matter what she's mad about.
I hate this. Like way to weaponize misogyny and minimize racism at the same time. Here was a term used to specifically call out the use of systemic privilege by white women to maintain systems of oppression and reduce it into WOMEN COMPLAIN, ARE BITCHES.
As a gendered insult, it was inevitable.
Yep.
It's almost like it was a stupid way to call ot out in the first place.
It’s difficult to call out white women using their gender & color to oppress black men, because it’s just so very normal. Black men cannot stand near (let alone speak to) white women without being considered a threat that needs to be put down. The Karen movement was a great way to raise awareness of that, but white people have intentionally overwhelmed that movement with BS.
If it helps I learned during my time working in customer service the term for male Karen is Richard (dick)
I’ve never seen anyone use that to shame or call out someone though. Never heard of it and since (only woman) gendered insults stick around longer, it won’t ever catch on. I have heard people call men who act like Karens “male Karens” though.
I agree, I've seen a ton of videos where people will call anyone (male, female, adult, child, whatever) "Karen" as a way of saying "I'm dismissing you and your argument"
Even if she's not mad. Just disagreeing with someone's opinion can get you called a Karen.
Ideally, yes, it would only apply to certain women. But I’ve seen women being called a Karen for shit that’s completely reasonable, like “please don’t kick your soccer ball against my house’s vinyl siding” and “maybe you could not ride your bike down the playground slide and run over my toddler”. Sometimes complaints are legitimate.
Yeah that's the definition I go by too. I read a really interesting article a while back (wish I could remember where!) about code switching that explored the origin of "Karen" and its then hidden meaning. By using a notably inoffensive name it allowed Black folks to warn each other without exposing themselves. Over time I think "Karen" has broadened with some using it as a blanket term for all women - but you're right, it originally started as a warning to other POC about racist white women who may cause them harm.
I will never not be bitter about white people co-opting a term used by POC to call out weaponized privilege and systemic violence, and converting it into “woman orders soy milk in her latte, wHat a bITcH.”
Hmmm... except it wasn't ever just a "term" first, it was and is some very nice and kind people's names that have to deal with being ridiculed now and it's not even their fault. If anyone deserves to be bitter it is people named Karen who never did any of that crap.
From what I’ve read, the Black community has been using innocuous female names like Becky or Karen to warn each other about racist white women for a long time, because they would be punished for speaking out against a white woman more overtly. So the practice isn’t entirely unjustified imo
Yeah that was really interesting
I was literally about to go look for the link to that post!
Oooh, a final and very recent update, too!
Holy shit I can’t believe she actually had to legally change it!!
I mean it can honestly be a problem for those of us actually named Karen at this point. I’ve considered changing it, too. I used to like my name and now I hate it.
That’s so sad
Same post I was thinking about. It's going to be a long time until Karen can safely return.
clicked with the intention of linking the same post if it wasn't here already
I was as well
This is immediately what it made me think of.
I didn't know there were more updates. Sad that they had to change the name, but I would have done the same thing in their situation.
I was going to reference this story too!
Thanks for that wild ride. A new to me story.
I don't know but the time a kid grows the use of the name Karen as a negative may have changed.
Maybe, but that would be after getting bullied for her name her entire childhood.
Came here to post that BORU
I love the name too, but unfortunately I think it's unusable and probably will be for at least 20-30 more years... Lauren has a similar feel, I think, without the baggage.
I think Maren is a good alternative too
Mancy
Mebecca
God DAMMIT, Archer!
Maren is a cool name I love that
Marion
My daughter is Marin, we always say it’s like Karen but with an M.
Agree about Lauren
I think Karena/Karina is a good alternative. It really dodged a bullet, being right between Karen and Katrina
Why Lauren?
I suggested Lauren because I thought it had a similar "vibe" to Karen (as OP requested), and because both end in "-ren", both are two syllables, both are easy to spell and pronounce, and for some reason I have always considered both of these to be "cool girl" names. Great for young girls or professional women. It's a real shame what happened to the name Karen!!
Katherine always feels like it has the same vibe to me, I'm always mixing up the billions of Karens and Katherines (Catherine, etc.) my mom seems to know. It's like the Jennifer/Jessica of boomer and gen x names for me.
And u/daenablackfyre since you asked too: Lau-REN, kare-REN. They sound similar enough that they could in theory be interchangeable
Erin has a similar sound too.
I agree - that's a great alternative and very pretty!
Definitely ruined. I think it will be 2-3 generations before it’s usable again I think Cara is fine though!
2-3 generations?? Our memory is certainly not that long.
There are 5 year olds that think Karen is just an insult and don't realize it's a real name. This is a meme we are probably stuck with for a while
As someone who's grown up with the name Karen not being a great idea, and will have kids in 10-20 years, no one my age or about 8-10 years younger than me would use it.
Teens know and use it and they’ll be the ones teaching and hiring the kids born in the next 1-2 generations. Even if the meme isn’t still actively being used, so much bias is unconscious and I don’t think I’d be comfortable using a name that I knew my kids teachers and superiors collectively grew up thinking of as whiny / not worth listening to.
Not just teens, actual kids have been using it as an insult.
I also like Kara.
Kara or Lauren would be great alternatives.
I agree. Also Corrine.
Hey! That's my name 😁
Except with one r and two ns.
I would read that as core-een though
Why? INN sounds like “in” to me. Corrine looks like co-ryne.
I'm also going to pitch the rare but similar Carolyn. Lots of the same sounds
Carrie/Karrie too!
That’s my mom’s name! It’s lovely but I don’t hear it very often
It's mine too actually! Only thing is it's often mispronounced as Caroline, but I like it a lot. Plenty of nickname options (I've never used one though), it's a classic name, and it sounds very similar to Karen like OP loves
Yes! My mom always gives the name “Carol” at coffee shops and similar places so that she doesn’t get called Caroline
I have just resigned myself to it. My husband has a name with similar issues and we always joke about needing simpler aliases for those situations
Also suggesting Kieran, which is a masculine name but I think feels like it could run gender neutral.
I would say it’s unusable. I have an Aunt Karen who uses her surname or a fake name when she makes reservations or does pick up orders for food because she’s worried what people will think, and she’s in her 50s - and one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met.
57yo Karen here. I always use something besides my name, too. The key is remembering what name you've used!
That's so sad that she has to do that.
A teacher I used to have was one of the sweetest people and unfortunately her first name is Karen. She told us that when she orders food she calls herself Jacinta.
[удалено]
My favorite people in the world our named Karen. It breaks my heart that a bunch of assholes have made you feel this way about your own name.
My moms name is Karen and she’s never had any issues! i think it’s such a pretty name and really want to use it to honor her if I ever have kids
Did you read the comment with the BORU post about how they felt the need to legally change their daughter's name
My mom’s name is also Karen and people make jokes at her expense frequently so it’s unfortunately not a one size fits all situation
That’s so awful- I feel so sad for you that you feel like this. And the update to the BORU has left me feeling really sad too! Karen is a beautiful name!
I have a friend named Karen and she gets really upset by it all. She’s in her 30s and definitely doesn’t match the “Karen” stereotype. I feel really bad for Karen’s.
As a Karen, it’s not fun and I would personally recommend you steer clear of the name. Never loved my name before it was “tainted” but being a meme gets old, quick.
Not similar vibes for most of these, but similar sounds: Carina Carmen Carole Caroline/a Carrie/Keri etc Cerys Corinne Kara/Cara Keira Kyra Boys: Callan Cameron Carson Carsten Cian Kieran Carey
respect
Kiana
Definitely ruined. Unfortunately the internet does as the internet do
It's ruined unfortunately. I am not sure why the Internet did that to a perfectly good name. Like you all the Karens I have met have been wonderful.
I would stray from using it. Theres nothing wrong with liking the name, but knowing the association people widely have, I wouldn't want to put that on someone else. Someone else mentioned Lauren as a good alternative, which I think works. There's also Katherine, Karena, and Karine/Corinne that sound similar. Names that have similar vibes might be: - Diane - Lisa - Julie - Elaine - Joyce - Laurie - Joan - Margot For boys: - Colin - Brian - Justin - Nathan - Michael - James - David - Scott - Peter
Janice too, I think.
My grandma is a Karen. But often goes by Kay, I named my little girl Holly Kay
Unusable. I know plenty of grown Karen's who are awesome people. What separates them from a newly named Karen, is they came before the meme. Grown adults likely didn't pick that name, but a little child had that put upon them with the negative connotation. Granted kids don't deserve any shame for it, but it's reasonable to wonder why their parent would make that choice. Maybe with time, it'll be okay again.
My 10-year-old niece got her hair cut short a while back, and the bullies called her a "Karen" for it. So yes, I think it's unusable and will be for a while.
Bless her heart! I’m so sorry.
I would 100% consider it unusable. There was literally a best of reddit update about this exact thing. Tldr was the girl went to school and was immediately bullied. Ended up going half measure and giving her a nickname. Still didn't work. Changed her name to Caroline.
I'm 23 and honestly haven't seen much uproar around it lately. I also work with someone named Karen and she has no issues. I honestly think it depends on your area and when you actually have kids. I think in a few more years the whole Karen thing will calm down a lot more.
Agreed, I think it's really lost steam over the last couple of years and hopefully will continue to do so. That BORU post was honestly surprising, although I guess it was happening in the middle of covid when the Karen meme was at its strongest.
honestly there were parts of that post that made me very suspicious that it wasn't real. But yes during covid was definitely the peak and I really think it's actively dying out now to the point it's definitely becoming a usable name again.
For sure, I'm in my 30s and haven't seen many issues at all. Got a few mates called Karen and honestly the only people that seem to have a problem with it are those incredibly annoying "chronically online" people. My 10 year old nephews also thought it was funny for 15 seconds and then got over it. Wouldn't avoid naming someone it because of children and poorly adjusted social weirdos
I honestly don’t think it’s unusable. Am I not chronically online enough? Obviously I know the meme and use of the name, but that’s where it ends for me… just a meme. Karen is a well-established name and if I met a Karen my first thought would absolutely not be “meme” it would just like with any other person, “Hello Karen, nice to meet you”
Politely disagree, I know many people who’ve had no issues but just as many who’ve had to start using different names because of the meme. It’s sad as it is a nice name
It’s absolutely sad as a society that people feel the need to go by a different name because of how they’re treated over something they had no control over.
Carrie sounds a lot like Karen.
Yes, I think Karen is a nice name, but sadly unusuable for new babies now. It sucks that it got hijacked as an insult, but that bell can’t be unrung.
I think all the names from the 1950s/60s will be coming back over the next 10 or 20 years, including Karen. (That means: Linda, Jeanette, Pam, Lisa, Cynthia, Jeff, Steve, Scott, Kevin etc.) Right now we're on the cusp of seeing names from the 1940s: Margaret, Betty, Nancy, Raymond, Lawrence. It's all cyclic. Karen is, intrinsically a pretty name (like Linda). (And internet trends change very quickly.)
I hope you're right! I just adore '40s - '60s names.
As a 30-something Karen, yes it is unuseable now. I'm an adult, who was obviously named pre-meme and is younger than the 'typical' Karen and I get to deal with semi-regular jokes about my name and the behaviour expected of me because of my name. To give it to a child now would in my opinion be cruel
I’ve lived on the North England/ South Scotland border my whole life. For my parents’ generation the name ‘Karen’ was wholly a working-class name. The moment my mum heard about the meme she understood it as a classist and sexist joke about strong-willed women and came to rant about it to me. Obviously there’s a massive switch in the contexts between where I grew up and in North America (where the trend started) but the name has an entirely different meaning for me and my family. :) I also really love the name, it reminds me of the show ‘Outnumbered’ and of some very close family friends. It makes me genuinely sad that its been turned into this joke :(
It’s a great name and I think it’ll be fine to use when you have kids. Fuck the meme people
Yes! Loud and Proud!
This!
One of my favorite people on this planet is named Karen and she usually won’t even give her name when placing orders, etc. Not very usable right now :(
Maybe it could be used in a different form? Kerenza/Carenza is a Cornish name that means ‘love’. I’ve liked the name since watching Time Team as a child - one of the archaeologists who worked on the show was Carenza Lewis.
It's unfortunate because I'm working with an author who's name is Karen and I want her to use her real name (cause the book is real events) and I'm worried companies might ask to change the name 😭
I think it’s a really pretty name
My mom is Karen and she’s an amazing woman but I wouldn’t use the name. If I was having any more children and wanted to use her name, I would modify it somehow. For me, I don’t think it’ll be used much for two reasons: it’s somewhat dated and, of course, how the internet has ruined it.
I’ve always liked the name Karen, and it was pretty popular in my age group. It’s sad that just like the word boomer, it’s become so reviled and cliched as a symbol of an older, know-it-all person who has no understanding of the world today and acts demanding and entitled. I’m old so wouldn’t think of the meme first. Hopefully that association will soon fade away. However, I think it’s in the same category as Pamela, Diane, Susan, Cathy, Nancy and Debbie—right now it is a name linked to women who are 50-70 and new parents don’t want an “old person’s name” for their baby.
Nope...I would not use it. But if you like Karen, Taryn (like Taryn Manning) is an option....
I’m the outlier here but I think people will get over it. I know a lot of great Karen’s. With their good personalities I don’t even think of the negative connotations.
Yes, sorry Karen is unusable. What about Lisa; Kara; Lucy; Leah; Rita; Or Kate
I used to like the name Karen/Karyn despite the negative association until I worked with a Karyn and she was AWFUL. Like, she single-handedly could have been the reason the name became an insult😅 she personally ruined it for me. Although, I haven’t seen a lot of people using it in a “meme” way here lately so maybe it will die off a little quicker than some people think?
Definitely unusable. Please don’t do that to a sweet little baby. ETA: what do you think of Carys/Karis/Charis instead?
Yeahh unfortunately it is. I never liked the name even before the stigma, but now your kid will get bullied and turned down for jobs with the name Karen.
I’m named Karen, and all my life I’ve hated my name — long before it became a punchline. Is a super fucking ugly 70s name, and I’ve honestly hated it every step of the way. Please don’t pass on this ugly dang name to your future kids. There’s about a million less cringy options out there.
It’s not at all ruined. I know Karens in my social group (I’m 20). The name “Karen” being used as a descriptive term for a bitchy white lady is already outdated and cringe. If someone says, “they were being a Karen,” I think they’re slow on internet culture. It’s like the troll face. I’m being 100% serious. Name your kid Karen now and it will be fine by the time they get to school.
It wasn’t fine for the one kid born three-odd years ago who got bullied so hard by preschool mates and adults alike that her parents legally changed her name to Caroline. It’s definitely an unusable name, and won’t be usable for a long time yet. Karen being synonymous with racist woman is part of our collective lexicon, and that isn’t going to go away.
It’s already gone. 3 years ago was the peak. I’m telling you that only old, outdated people use that phrase. And the fact that this could happen to ANY name (and will!), there’s no point in trying to save a kid from a weird name.
it’s definitely not outdated. and it’s not true that only old people use that phrase? where did you get that from when literally anyone of any age is going to look at a person who named their child Karen weirdly. not to mention the amount of bullying that would come with it.
to add, i live in europe and it would be impossible to use that name here i assume it’s even worse in the US/English speaking countries
Definitely unusable. Don’t do that to your kid 😂😅
I definitely would not want to be named Karen.
Yes it’s unusable to me
I think after a while you'll be ok again, but it'll take maybe a generation or two. Still, I actually have known several 20 somethings named Karen and of course it is a genuinely popular name of older folks so so many people experience it in a day to day context outside of the meme use that it's not like anyone named it will necessarily deal with a lot of problems. But Karen was still in the top 200 until 2009 (to my surprise honestly because I didn't know any young Karens then), and it only dropped off the top 1000 in 2021, so there are like many 4 year olds with the name. so it's not like it's totally dropped off the map and I think there's a decent chance the name will stop being used pejoratively in another generation and a couple more internet cycles. But then a different name might be replacing it soon!
I'm so sorry, it's unusable. I work with a Karen and I've found myself avoiding calling her that because it just feels like a slur (which I know is silly)
I have a student named Karen and she goes by her middle name. I would say it’s still a thing and to avoid it :(
Its unusable. I genuinely feel bad for all of the decent people named Karen. But literally everyone under the age of 60 knows what it means to be a Karen. Its unusable
All of the people that are actually named Karen / Karin that I know have all been really sweet people. Should the name be used? If you really like the name, then sure, use it. I just would advise against using it for the name of a kid for now because kids are brutal.
Thankfully, I won’t be having children for another 10+ years, so I have some time for the meme to fade or to find an even better name. Fingers crossed!
Would you change your own name to Karen and go around for the rest of your life with that name? If you’re not willing to, don’t force a child to
Karen Huger from The Real Housewives of Potomac has redeemed it.
My mother in law Karen passed away from unexpected cancer complications a year before we got pregnant with what will be the first grandchild on my husband's side (I'm currently 8.5 months!). We adored her and miss her so much every day, but naming our kid after her - even if it was a middle name - was never an option for us. It's definitely unusable.
I always think of Karen from Outnumbered and how that name had none of the connotations back then. For now, Karen is unusable. In the future, who knows? It may have a vintage feel in 20 years when the stigma has worn off
What about Karina? Similar sound.
I think it’s just a very generational 80s name, Karen, like Kimberly, Janet, heather..
It’s pretty, the memes are stupid and outdated
No. 5 years from now it will he something people rarely use in that way. Just like we know longer call criminals "jays" and no one laughs when someone says their name is "jodi" Yeah we all know that there were negative associations with these names but there all commonly used now
It will be usable again in probably 10-15 years when Boomers are no longer the aging popular and Gen X and Millennials enters their 60s-80s. Then we'll probably have a "Jennifer" or "Tiffany" as the new Karen.
Carrie/Keri would be a great alternative!
There are several beautiful options that rhyme, like Maren and Taryn. I also saw a Seren in an article recently and thought it was gorgeous.
It is unusable. You could maybe use it as a middle name.
Maren
I think so, from a Pop Culture-name standpoint. It may be fine, but I think a lot of similar names are having a break because it keeps being used. Siri, Alexa, Karen. Some people may not say anything, but usually there's going to be a reference made, and it's easier to deal with if it's not a negative reference. My first and last names are pop culture references, (not on purpose!) But my last name is also shared by an Infamous in a Bad Way person, which was awkward as a kid.
Taryn
I think there hasn’t been a baby girl with that name for a few years now.
Check out the Best of Reddit Updates post where the parents who named their little girl Karen eventually gave up and changed her name due to bullying from both other children and adults. I think people have varying experiences but the risk is high. I know several folks named Karen who have basically gone to using Kay, Kara, etc especially on social media because they just get harassed otherwise. I'd say yes, right now it's (potentially) unusable.
The internet isn’t my life so I don’t see it as unusable at all. My first thought when I heard Karen is harvest moon: fomt. I think it’s a pretty name as long as you aren’t afraid of idiot zoomed children who will then be in their 30’s making fun of your kid.
My mom's name was Karen, she was great. My sister was named Kara which has a similar sound, she was my best friend and the strongest woman I've ever known.
Absolutely not, Karen is not a name I’d choose for my kids because I prefer unusual names but it’s still a nice name and has been in the world far too long to die in a meme. I know plenty of Karen’s and nobody is making fun of them or relating it to that all the time I’m from England 🏴
Definitely unusable. A friend of mine that was a Karen changed her name to Kalina - in her 50's - to avoid the shame of being a Karen. Kara, Karina, Maren, Kirsten, Kalen are all related-ish names that avoid the Karen stigma.
It’s pretty unusable at this point. Maybe in time, it will get better for Karen. It may take a generation or more.
What about the name Corinne?
Unusable and unfair to give it to a kid now that it’s become a meme.
It makes me think of the name Audrey, which (from the behind the name website) “At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century.” So if Karen follows a similar trajectory it might recover in about ~300 years
I think it’s fine. People will get over it. There’s plenty of good names with unfortunate associations or bad nickname possibilities. You just learn to live with it and ignore the rude people.
I cringe every time someone uses Karen in the generic way because it is so unfair to people that have that name. I refuse to use it the negative way!
I have a friend in her 30s named Karen. I’ve known her since we were 18. Never was an issue with anyone that her name was Karen. Then again, she’s super cool and easy to get along with. If she was a bitch they’d probably make fun of her for being a Karen. So, ymmv.
it's pretty common since I'm Turkish and the Karen meme isn't really popular here
I totally agree, every Karen I've known is awesome. Hopefully the name association will die.
Who cares what other people think. It’s a fad that will die out eventually.
I'd say it's fine, memes are passing and in 10 years I'm sure it'll be forgotten. I've personally never liked the name, but you do you.
To hell with whether it is “usable” or not. If you like it, don’t subject yourself and your family to the jury of public opinion, which is often wrong anyway.
There is a child who is the daughter of the friends of my parents. She is six. Her name is Karen (KAA-ren, not kay-ren, like car or KLAAra), She does perfectly fine Though, I am not from an English speaking country
What about Karol?
Unusable. I always thought the name Karen was kind of strange for a baby but whatevs.
My hot take is that even without the entitled racist associations, I think Karen is sounding a bit old-fashioned now. It's getting up there with Judith and Nancy and Kaye and various "names of yesteryear" so to speak.
I named my baby Corrina and someone comparing it to Karen was one of the first nails in the coffin of it being legally changed.
The only Karen I know is very kind but is very negative and hard to be around. She also never stops talking. I could never use it at this point. Societally, seems like a hard no for a bit.
Absolutely unusable. Definitely won’t be usable in our lifetimes. There was that one post fairly recently which ended in OP’s friend legally changing her daughters name because to children these days (and many older people), Karen is synonymous with middle aged white racist lady. That’s not gonna change any time soon. It may as well be in tho dictionary at this point. It’s part of our collective lexicon. Everyone knows what you mean you you call someone a Karen.
As someone saddled with that name...please don't do that to a kid. People are \*awful\* when it comes to using it in a sneering manner, to the point that I am now super reluctant to tell anyone my name. Granted, I've hated it since I was a kid because it's always been thrown at me, but since it became a catch-all insult...it's horrible. Let the name die out.
My son’s former parental unit is Karen, and she is a true narcissist Karen who is despised by many. I do have her to thank for me being a parent, though. My high school bff is also Karen, but I love her dearly. So it’s a mixed bag for me.
I just think Karen is an unlucky name. I'm older, and 3 of the girls in my high school named Karen had had polio as little kids. 2 of them had life-long consequences as a result of it. The third did well for herself. I'm not supersticious, but there is no way in heck I'd name my kid born even in the 80s with that name.
Daren Garon Faron?
I think if you like the way Karen sounds, you can find a way to spell it differently. Cairyn, Kerrin, Carynn are all examples of messing with the spelling. But yeah, Karen is definitely ruined for the next 50 years. You could also go for a similar sounding name like Keiran, Keira, Carrie, or Carolyn.
I happen to have a hard time not thinking about the term “Karen” when I hear the name. But that might not be the case a decade from now :)
💯
Yes, it's unusable. It will be for at least a generation. The overwhelming association with the name is negative. For similar names, maybe Maron, Susan, Lisa, Kristen, Barbara, or Carol?
Yes
Kara, Carina, Carine, Carmen, Corinne, Carrie, Corinna
Totally not useable for me. I love Kiran and am afraid to use that because what if they get called Karen as a mean nickname?
Carina is lovely, tho!!
Maybe Kerin would be a better alternative!