Given name & surname
Karin
“one who is pure; virginal”
Karin is a form of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Karin is a form of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Danish use, Karin has a related form in Katrine. An origin associated with Katrine is Irish Gaelic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Swedish use, Karin is used as a form of Katherine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1907. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Karin is a form of Katherine. The history of Katherine gives this family its wider story. Katherine’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Karin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 28,731
- 199 boys · 28,532 girls
- Most popular year
- 1970
- 1,051 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #11,333 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 11,333 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 34,535 as a first name in 2020; 240 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Karin’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Karin has a diminutive in Karina. In Danish usage, Karin shares a linguistic root with Karen. Karin is a form of Katherine.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Karin has relatives in 16 languages.
22 related names in 16 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 7
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 47
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Catalinaequivalent
- Kateequivalent
- Katieequivalent
- Katerinaequivalent
- Karisee also · Norwegian
- Catarinaequivalent
- Katiaequivalent
- Katrinaequivalent
Show 39 moreShow fewer
- Katyequivalent
- Kathyequivalent
- Katyaequivalent
- Caterinaequivalent
- Karonequivalent
- Ekaterinaequivalent
- Britainbase name
- Kathrineequivalent
- Kaisaequivalent
- Cathyequivalent
- Catharinaequivalent
- Cathrynequivalent
- Katjaequivalent
- Cathrineequivalent
- Katarzynaequivalent
- Catrinequivalent
- Cathieequivalent
- Catharineequivalent
- Katriequivalent
- Katrinequivalent
- Katalinequivalent
- Kathieequivalent
- Karynequivalent
- Kareenequivalent
- Karrinequivalent
- KaarinaFinnish
- Katriinequivalent
- Jekaterinaequivalent
- Kateřinaequivalent
- Karienequivalent
- Katrijnequivalent
- Katarínaequivalent
- Екатеринаequivalent
- Ekaterineequivalent
- Katriinaequivalent
- Chatrineequivalent
- קאריןHebrew
- קריןHebrew
- CharinFinnish
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Karin
- Victoria SilvstedtSwedish model, actress, singer, and television personalityborn 1974
- Karin BoyeSwedish poet and novelist (1900–1941)
- Karin Keller-SutterSwiss politicianborn 1963
- Karin KneisslAustrian diplomat, journalist and politicianborn 1965
- Karin DorGerman actress (1938-2017)
- Karin KnappItalian tennis playerborn 1987
- Karin DreijerSwedish musicianborn 1975
- Karin ViardFrench actressborn 1966
- Karin MånsdotterSwedish queen consort (1550-1612)
Characters named Karin: Karin Kanzuki (Street Fighter).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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