Total births
3,450
Unisex name · since 1936
Karan
3,450 babies named Karan in U.S. Social Security records since 1936, with the highest year being 1956. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 3,450
- total births
- 1936–2004
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 38%
- born in that decade
Karan is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 3,450 have been recorded since 1936.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Karan has been recorded 3,450 times among girls since 1936, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 2004.
- 3,450 total births
- 1936–2004 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 38% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
3,450 girls have been named Karan since 1936, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 2004.
- 3,450
- total births
- 1936–2004
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 38%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Karan was born in this single decade.
1956
Single peak year
170 babies were named Karan in 1956 - its busiest year on record.
Karan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Karan's full recorded timeline at 1968, 16% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 84% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1986, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1956 peak of 170 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Karan at a glance
Last recorded 2004Peak year
1956
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1936
Karan popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–2004
- Peak year (1956)
- 170
- Annual births at peak, across 69 years of records
Karan popularity over time - boys
1,512 total births recorded since 1973 (Karan as boys' name)
Karan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Karan's strongest decade.
1,316 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Karan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 64
1930s
64 births
- 1940s
1940s
769 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,316 births
- 1960s
1960s
849 births
- 1970s 267
1970s
267 births
- 1980s 105
1980s
105 births
- 1990s 60
1990s
60 births
- 2000s 20
2000s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,316 births (38% of all-time use).
How Karan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Karan's total volume
Karan vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Karan by state
Where Karan concentrates geographically, total births since 1936
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 326 | 9.4% |
| #2 | California | | 222 | 6.4% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 124 | 3.6% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 110 | 3.2% |
| #5 | New York | | 109 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 100 | 2.9% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 79 | 2.3% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 65 | 1.9% |
Texas share of Karan's total US births 9.4%
Even split
326 of 3,450 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Karan appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karan? ▼
3,450 babies have been named Karan since 1936. It was last recorded in 2004. The peak year was 1956 with 170 births.
When was Karan most popular? ▼
Karan was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,316 total births. The single peak year was 1956.
Where is Karan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karan are Texas (326 births), California (222 births), Michigan (124 births).
Is Karan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Karan is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 3,450 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,512 births.
How long has the name Karan been used? ▼
Records for Karan go back to 1936, giving 69 years of history through 2004.
What names are similar to Karan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karen, Kara, Karla, Karina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Karan's data
- Karan's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,316 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Karans (326 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Karan
Nearby Names Like Karan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karan
Karen Girl
#1251 987,989 births
Kara Girl
#990 101,743 births
Karla Girl
#733 91,586 births
Karina Girl
#772 61,464 births
Kari Girl
#1843 59,696 births
Compare Karan side by side: Karan vs Karen Karan vs Kara Karan vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1936–2004 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karan: Baby Name Since 1936 - 3,450 Births, Peak 1956." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Karan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.