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Karene

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Karene

Pronounced kuh-REEN /kəˈrin/Medium

Meaning: Karene is a variant of Karen, the Danish short form of Katherine, whose traditional meaning is pure, from the Greek katharos. The added final e gives a softer, slightly French-flavored look while keeping the same root.Medium

In 30 seconds: Karene is a variant of Karen, the Danish form of Katherine meaning pure. A soft mid-century respelling, it stayed rare (said kuh-REEN).

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Origin MediumDanish, Greek

MeaningKarene is a variant of Karen, the Danish short form of Katherine, whose traditional meaning is pure, from the Greek katharos. The added final e gives a softer, slightly French-flavored look while keeping the same root.

U.S. rank (1997)#12866 ↘ Falling

1997 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1963

Total births (all-time)≈ 501

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Karene is a variant of Karen, which came to English as the Danish short form of Katherine, traditionally read as pure, from the Greek katharos. As Karen surged in mid-century America, softened spellings like Karene appeared. Its meaning stays tied to Katherine, with only the look freshened.

Karene was never common, given to only a handful of girls a year around the early nineteen-sixties, a faint echo of the hugely popular Karen. A woman named Karene from that time would be in her sixties today.

Did you know? Karene rode the wave of Karen, one of the most popular names of mid-century America, with a gentle extra letter to set it apart.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Karene — Variant of Karen; Danish form of Katherine; Greek katharos pure

Variations

KarenKarinKarine

Nicknames

KariRene

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Karene…

Karen— the parent name it varies

Karin— a like Scandinavian spelling

Karine— a similar French-flavored form

Kareen— a near-rhyming variant

Explore names like Karene

By themerare vintage variant danish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karene mean?

It carries the meaning of Karen and Katherine, pure, from the Greek katharos.

How do you pronounce Karene?

It is said kuh-REEN /kəˈrin/, two syllables with the stress on the second.

Is Karene a boy or girl name?

Karene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Karene?

It was always rare, given to only a handful of girls a year around the early nineteen-sixties.