Namewise

Karen vs Margaret

Karen and Margaretcompared 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 1974, Karen was ranked #9 and Margaret #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Karen was ranked #89 and Margaret #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Margaret #196 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Karen was ranked #430 and Margaret #283 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Karen was ranked #352 and Margaret #522 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Karen was ranked #2440 and Margaret #413 among girls in England and Wales.

Karen and Margaret over time

Karen and Margaret appear together in 6 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Margaret in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.

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 1957, Karen moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #6 and #5 the year before became #5 and #6.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Karen and Margaret changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2010, ending at #430 and #283.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Margaret averaged 33.9 places apart, ending at #9 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Karen and Margaret were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 53 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #352 and #522.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019

    Karen held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Margaret in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Margaret #2 in 1965.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Margaret #196.

  • Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1945–2023

    Karen held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Margaret in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #57 in 1946, Margaret #108 in 1953.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Karen #352, Margaret #522.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Margaret #357 in 2020.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #2440, Margaret #413.

  • New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1954–1984

    Karen held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Margaret in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1957, Margaret #3 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Karen #89, Margaret #80.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974

    Karen held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Margaret in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Margaret #3 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1957: Karen moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #6 and #5; by 1957 that had become #5 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Karen #9, Margaret #93.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010

    Karen held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Margaret in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #133 in 1997, Margaret #119 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2007: Margaret moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #273 and #372; by 2007 that had become #413 and #223.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Karen #430, Margaret #283.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Karen

Pairs where Karen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Margaret

Pairs where Margaret shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Karen, Margaret
FieldKarenMargaret
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Latin Margarita, from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl' — likely originally borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Associated with Saint Margaret, a 4th-century martyr and patron saint of expectant mothers.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #442 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Karen does not have one recorded yet.
  • Karen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Margaret.
  • A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Karen doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Margaret

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #173 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls