Karen vs Kim
Karen and Kimcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Karen was ranked #60 and Kim #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1985, Karen was ranked #99 and Kim #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2011, Karen was ranked #176 and Kim #589 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1984, Karen was ranked #250 and Kim #318 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Karen was ranked #439 and Kim #439 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Karen was ranked #629 and Kim #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Karen was ranked #4843 and Kim #4192 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Kim over time
Karen and Kim appear together in 5 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kim in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kim in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1984, Kim moved ahead of Karen in New Zealand · Girls — #61 and #69 the year before became #89 and #79.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karen and Kim changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4843 and #4192.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Kim averaged 12.9 places apart, ending at #60 and #80.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Kim were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 33 years, from 1952 to 1984, ending at #60 and #80.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Karen #417 in 1996, Kim #382 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls55 shared years, 1951–2011
Karen held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Kim in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #67 in 1952, Kim #205 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Karen #176, Kim #589.
Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2018
Karen held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Kim in 5.
Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Kim #64 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Karen #629, Kim #896.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1952–1984
Karen held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Kim in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Kim #6 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Karen #60, Kim #80.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Karen held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kim in 6.
Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Kim #382 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Karen #4843, Kim #4192.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1958–1985
Karen held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kim in 2.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1964, Kim #5 in 1968.
The order changed in 1984: Kim moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #61 and #69; by 1984 that had become #89 and #79.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Karen #99, Kim #78.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Karen | Kim |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Karen has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Kim.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #442 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Kim
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #344 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1958–1985
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1958–1985).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls