Given name & surname · also Scandinavian
Karina
“one who is dear and pure”
Karina is used as a given name and a surname. One Scandinavian and Russian interpretation is “one who is dear and pure.” Its derivation is not certain.
Original RussianКарина
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scandinavian and Russian interpretation is “one who is dear and pure.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Scandinavian and Russian naming traditions. The precise derivation is uncertain.
How it developed
In Slovak usage, Karina developed from Karin. In Swedish usage, Karina is a diminutive of Karin.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1956. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Karina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 61,717
- 253 boys · 61,464 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 3,001 babies
- 2025
- 363
- #750 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 363 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 750 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 28.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,985 in 1995. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (73). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 78,579 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Karina’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Karina has a diminutive in Kari. In Slovak usage, Karina developed from the Swedish form Karin. Karina has a related form in Karen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Karina has relatives in 20 languages. Lines run from its Russian roots to each of them.
Russianwhere Karina comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 19
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- CatalinaSpanish
- Caraequivalent
- Arinaequivalent
- Karenaequivalent
- Carinalso known as · Swedish
- Kaarinaborrowing · Finnish
- Carenalso known as · Swedish
- Karnaalso known as · Swedish
Show 2 moreShow fewer
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Karina
- Karina MaruyamaJapanese tarento and footballerborn 1983
- Karina LombardFrench-American actressborn 1969
- Karina AznavourianRussian épée fencerborn 1974
- Karina BryantBritish judokaborn 1979
- Karina PankievichUruguayan trans activist and a human rights defenderborn 1963
- Karina LeBlancCanadian soccer playerborn 1980
- Karina Gorichevaweightlifterborn 1993
- Karina HabšudováSlovak tennis playerborn 1973
- Karina SævikNorwegian association football playerborn 1996
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Karina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Katia
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Tatiana
“queen of the fairies”
>99% girls
Zaria
>99% girls
Katja
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Kira
“little dark-haired one”
>99% girls
Taina
“seedling”
>99% girls
Nadia
“one who is full of hope”
>99% girls
Erica
“ever the ruler”
>99% girls