Karen vs Therese
Karen and Theresecompared 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 1968, Karen was ranked #1 and Therese #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Karen was ranked #439 and Therese #277 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Karen was ranked #378 and Therese #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Karen was ranked #442 and Therese #487 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2022, Karen was ranked #4645 and Therese #4645 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Therese over time
Karen and Therese appear together in 4 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Therese in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Therese 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karen and Therese changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2025, ending at #442 and #487.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Therese were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 70 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #442 and #487.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1963, Therese #73 in 1964.
List by list
Norway · Girls70 shared years, 1946–2025
Karen held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Therese in 31.
Highest recorded here: Karen #57 in 1946, Therese #21 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #442, Therese #487.
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2015
Karen held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Therese in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Therese #98 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Karen #378, Therese #896.
England and Wales · Girls21 shared years, 1996–2022
Karen held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Therese in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Therese #2084 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Karen #4645, Therese #4645.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1956–1968
Karen held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Therese in 0.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Therese #73 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1968: Karen #1, Therese #98.
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 | Therese |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) | Norway · Girls #487 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Karen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Therese.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.
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
Therese
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1946–2025
Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in Norway, in 1986 (recorded 1946–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #487 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls