Namewise

Karen vs Robyn

Karen and Robyncompared 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 Robyn #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1975, Karen was ranked #14 and Robyn #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Robyn #26 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Karen was ranked #2440 and Robyn #76 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Karen was ranked #430 and Robyn #102 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Karen and Robyn over time

Karen and Robyn appear together in 5 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Robyn held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Karen in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Robyn in 2. 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 1955, Karen moved ahead of Robyn in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #13 and #6 the year before became #7 and #8.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Robyn averaged 29.7 places apart, ending at #9 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Karen and Robyn were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 37 years, from 1982 to 2019, ending at #871 and #26.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1957, Robyn #8 in 1956.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1982–2019

    Karen held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Robyn in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #9 in 1984, Robyn #23 in 2015.

    The order changed in 1998: Robyn moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #61 and #69; by 1998 that had become #69 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Robyn #26.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Robyn #65 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #2440, Robyn #76.

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

    Karen held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Robyn in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Robyn #6 in 1953.

    The order changed in 1955: Karen moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #13 and #6; by 1955 that had become #7 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Karen #9, Robyn #85.

  • New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1954–1975

    Karen held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Robyn in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1957, Robyn #8 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1955: Karen moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #14 and #12; by 1955 that had become #6 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 1975: Karen #14, Robyn #80.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010

    Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robyn in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #133 in 1997, Robyn #63 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Karen #430, Robyn #102.

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 Robyn

Pairs where Robyn 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 Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand 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, Robyn
FieldKarenRobyn
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA feminine variant of Robin, itself a diminutive of Robert.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic, feminine diminutive form
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈɹɑb.ɪn/
Syllables22
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #442 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Robyn has a recorded origin (Germanic, feminine diminutive form); Karen does not have one recorded yet.
  • Karen and Robyn both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Robyn; Karen doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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

Robyn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1974

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1974).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #76 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls