UK girl's name
Caren
A feminine name derived from the Greek name Katerina, meaning "pure".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Caren is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Caren popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 41 living people in the UK are called Caren. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Caren ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 3 girls were registered as Caren.
- • Caren ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #473 in 1984.
- • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Caren as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2011
Births in 2011
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
3 births
Estimated living
41
2026
Meaning
What does Caren mean?
The name Caren is believed to have originated from the Hebrew name Karen, which is a variant of the biblical name Keren. In the Old Testament, Keren is mentioned as one of the wives of Nahor, Abraham's brother. The name Keren is derived from the Hebrew word "qeren," which means "ray of light" or "horn."
The earliest recorded use of the name Caren dates back to the 17th century in Europe. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Caren Andersdotter, a Swedish woman born in 1618 who lived in the village of Västra Vemmenhög. Historical records also mention a woman named Caren Helsingius, born in 1645 in Lund, Sweden.
In the 18th century, the name Caren was relatively uncommon but can be found in historical records from various parts of Europe. One notable figure was Caren Maartens, a Dutch woman born in 1728 who became a prominent businesswoman in Amsterdam.
The 19th century saw an increase in the popularity of the name Caren, particularly in Scandinavia and parts of Germany. One famous bearer of the name was Caren Mikhailovna Vernet, a Russian noble and philanthropist born in 1841. She was known for her charitable work and support of education initiatives in St. Petersburg.
In the 20th century, the name Caren gained wider recognition and usage in various parts of the world. One of the most notable individuals with this name was Caren MarshИон, an American actress and dancer born in 1918. She appeared in several Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the 1940s and 1950s.
Another prominent figure was Caren Toksvig, a British writer, comedian, and broadcaster born in 1958. She has authored numerous books and has been a regular presence on British television for several decades.
It's worth noting that while the name Caren has been used throughout history, it has never been among the most popular names in any particular region or time period. However, it has maintained a consistent presence, particularly in parts of Europe and North America, and continues to be used as a given name today.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Caren over time
The chart below shows babies named Caren registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Caren, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caren by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Caren was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5785 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3998 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3795 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Caren is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Caren. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Caren ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #473 in 1984.
Across the UK
Caren in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#473 in 1984
8 years of NRS records, 33 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Caren
-
Caren Webster
association football player
1985-
Related
Names similar to Caren
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Caren: questions and answers
How popular is the name Caren in the UK right now?
In 2011, Caren was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Caren most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 3 babies registered as Caren in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Caren?
A feminine name derived from the Greek name Katerina, meaning "pure".
How many people are called Caren in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Caren across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 33 more in Scotland.
Where is Caren most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Caren ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #473 in 1984. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.