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Home › Baby Names Directory › Karlene

Karlene

♀ Girl

Pronounced kar-LEEN /kɑːrˈliːn/High

Meaning: Karlene is an elaborated form of Karla or Carla (feminine of Carl/Karl, 'free man'), with the soft -lene ending. It carries the sense 'free.'Low

In 30 seconds: A mid-century-warm name: Karlene elaborates Karla, meaning 'free' (said 'kar-LEEN'). Soft, vintage, and rare.
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Origin MediumEnglish, German
MeaningKarlene is an elaborated form of Karla or Carla (feminine of Carl/Karl, 'free man'), with the soft -lene ending. It carries the sense 'free.'
U.S. rank (2024)#12733 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1959
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,167

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195919132024

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

Karlene is an elaborated form of Karla or Carla (feminine of Karl, 'free man'), finished with the soft -lene ending. It reads as a warm, vintage name, rare today in the U.S. (said 'kar-LEEN').

It appears only rarely for girls in the U.S. now. Rare, soft, and mid-century.

Did you know? Karlene grows out of Karla ('free') with the gentle -lene ending that flavored many mid-century names — a soft, vintage-leaning pick (said 'kar-LEEN').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Karlene — elaborated Karla/Carla, 'free'

Variations

KarlynCarleneKarleen

Nicknames

KarLena

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Karlene…

Carlene— the C-spelled twin of the same name
Marlene— a like soft -lene name
Charlene— a like vintage -lene pick
Darlene— a like mid-century -lene choice

Explore names like Karlene

By themevintagesoftfeminine
By meaningFreedom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Karlene mean?

Karlene is an elaborated form of Karla or Carla, meaning 'free.'

How do you pronounce Karlene?

It's said kar-LEEN /kɑːrˈliːn/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Karlene a boy or girl name?

Karlene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Karlene?

Karlene is a rare name for girls in the U.S. today.

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