UK boy's name
Karsten
A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse word "Karsi", meaning warrior or peasant.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Karsten is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Karsten popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 7 births.
This profile covers 42 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 1999 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 42 living people in the UK are called Karsten. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Karsten ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 7 boys were registered as Karsten.
- • About 42 living people in the UK are estimated to have Karsten as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
7 births
Estimated living
42
2026
Meaning
What does Karsten mean?
The given name Karsten originated from the Germanic language. It is derived from the Old Norse words "karl" meaning man or husband, and "sten" meaning stone. The name can be interpreted to mean "the strong one" or "warrior stone." It was popular among the ancient Norse and Viking civilizations from around the 8th to 11th centuries AD, particularly in Scandinavia and the areas that make up modern-day Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Karsten was in the 13th century Icelandic saga, the Sturlunga saga. It refers to a chieftain named Karsten Sighvatsson who lived in the late 12th century. Another early mention was in the 14th century Danish chronicle, Sønderjyske Krønike, which documented a Karsten Thomesen who was a respected landowner and nobleman.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Karsten. In the 16th century, Karsten Vognsen was a Danish naval officer and cartographer who created some of the earliest maps of the Arctic regions. Karsten Niebuhr (1733-1815) was a German mathematician, cartographer, and explorer who led a pioneering expedition to Arabia and wrote detailed accounts of his travels.
In the 19th century, Karsten Kiesow (1856-1924) was a German architect and builder who designed several prominent buildings in Berlin and other German cities. Karsten Braasch (1892-1970) was a Norwegian gymnast who won three gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.
More recently, Karsten Nohl (born 1981) is a German computer security researcher and cryptographer, known for his work in exposing vulnerabilities in mobile communication systems. Karsten Muller (born 1970) is a retired German beach volleyball player who won a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The name Karsten has maintained a presence throughout history, particularly in Germanic and Scandinavian cultures. Its origins and meaning have been associated with strength, masculinity, and valor, which may have contributed to its enduring popularity over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Karsten over time
The chart below shows babies named Karsten registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Karsten, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karsten by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Karsten 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5119 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3400 | 20 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3068 | 12 | 3 |
| 1990s | #1664 | 7 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Karsten
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Karsten: questions and answers
How popular is the name Karsten in the UK right now?
In 2024, Karsten was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Karsten most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 7 babies registered as Karsten in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Karsten?
A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse word "Karsi", meaning warrior or peasant.
How many people are called Karsten in the UK?
A total of 42 babies have been registered as Karsten across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.