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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Variations on Karen

65 replies

Elambert83 · 27/01/2021 15:41

I have today found out I am expecting another girl. I already have 'Freya Evangeline'

My mum whose name was Karen died last year unexpectedly aged 57 and although I don't like the name Karen, I was wondering what variation I could possibly use as a middle name or even first name if its nice enough.

Thanks

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FlyingByTheSeatof · 01/02/2021 16:28

Carrie

IndiaMay · 01/02/2021 16:23

Carin
Caren
Keren
Kara
Kary
Karina
Or her maiden name

helloyoumums · 01/02/2021 15:54

Kara
Karina
Katerina
Katie
Keira
Katrina
Kyra

stairway · 01/02/2021 15:35

How about the Arabic Karima which I think means kind.

DinosaurDiana · 01/02/2021 15:29

The Karen thing will go so don’t worry about that.
It’s lovely to name her after your mum.
Did your mum have a middle name, or could you use Karen as the baby’s middle name instead.

VenusClapTrap · 01/02/2021 15:26

I think Karensa is perfect.

davidsSchitt · 31/01/2021 10:18

I'd go with Karen.

The misogynistic pricks sharing memes about it will disappear soon. I think they already are doing unless I've just deleted most of them!

Karenza and karenina sound a bit silly

YeOldeTrout · 31/01/2021 10:01

oops,I wrote that pronunciation guide wrong, sorry, can tell I'm not a linguist.
In my family it's "co-RINN" (emphasis 2nd syllable.

YeOldeTrout · 31/01/2021 10:00

Corinne, "CO-rinn"

I sure hope Karen soon loses the ridiculous current stigma.
What was your mum's middle name, OP?

Morgelyn · 31/01/2021 09:45

Definitely Kerensa. The name is spelt in various ways so I think you could even get away with Karensa. So your mum's name is properly in there and it means love, so a perfect tribute.

zigaziga · 31/01/2021 09:35

I don’t think these names really work tbh.
I think your options are:

  1. Use Karen as a middle name (if she doesn’t want to tell her friends her middle name she doesn’t have to.)
  2. use your mother’s maiden name? Or the name of a place she was born? Or her middle name?
  3. Find something that particularly reminds you of your mum? - like if she loved painting, use a name that means painter of if she loved gardening a name to do with that?

So I wouldn’t want to use my mum’s name for instance (it’s not a name that has dated well) but I know the name she loved and would have used if she’d had a second daughter, so I could use that.

Ellmau · 30/01/2021 15:13

Kara or Karina would be nice.

LittleGwyneth · 28/01/2021 14:07

I love Karo or Caro to rhyme with 'tarot'.

TwelvePaws · 28/01/2021 10:41

Sorry for your loss. 💐

As you don’t really like the name Karen, did your mum maybe have a name that she liked that you could use? Or maybe a favourite place or flower that would make a good name? Something that reminds you of your mum?

Bbq1 · 28/01/2021 10:38

Keryn, Karrin, Caron, Karrena/Carina, kiera/Ciara

stodgystollen · 28/01/2021 10:34

Karlijn, Caroline, Carla, Carly, Caron, Kyra?

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 08:59

I used to know a Sheran (Sharon but with share at the start).

EuphieKat · 28/01/2021 05:45

Keren is nice.
If my brother had been a girl he would have been called Karen, but the first syllable was to rhyme with the word ‘care’ rather than ‘ca’ I actually know about 5 people in my small town alone who have that name- it must have been a trend!!

Bluesername · 28/01/2021 00:43

I like Karina. Karenza makes me think of Keratin and kerosene.

funnyoldonion · 27/01/2021 23:26

Kay?

partyatthepalace · 27/01/2021 23:20

Sorry about your Mum OP. I think Karen is fine as a middle name. Or if not did she have a middle name or a flower etc she really liked??

If not I’d go for Karina or Karey as the closest of the Katharine names to Karen,

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 27/01/2021 22:23

Karin
Karina

Corcra · 27/01/2021 21:11

I love the name Kasia (ka sha).
(
Kasia as a girl's name is a variant of Catherine (Greek) and Katherine (Greek); the meaning of Kasia is "pure". a version of Karen).
Having said that I’d agree with pp and use Karen as a middle name, I actually think it’s a nice name.
Sorry for your loss 💐

Daydreamsinglorioustechnicolor · 27/01/2021 21:03

I echo the other posters saying use Karen as the middle name. The silly negative associations with the name will pass and your daughter will have that middle name after her grandmother all her life.
My daughter has her grandmother's name as a middle name, its not at all fashionable think Barbara. It rarely gets used and she knows its in honour of her grandmother.

pumpkinsoups · 27/01/2021 21:00

Katrina