Karan is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Karan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Karan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Karan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Karan is a unisex name of Sanskrit origin meaning “helper, instrument”. An Indian name borne by a warrior in the Mahabharata.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,962 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 802 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 7 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 72 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Karan per year, United States (1936 to 2025). United States peaked in 1956 (170/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (61/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1978 (11/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (4/yr).
Karan is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1956, when it ranked #1,307 nationally (given to 170 babies that year).
Karen · Karina · Karin · Karyn · Carina · Caryn · Kieran · Caren
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →