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Baby names

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

Original poster

I hate to ask this, but......

67 replies

derah · 22/02/2008 20:53

... is Karen a "chavvy" name? Please don't flame me for saying using the c-word either, I don't know how else to put the question!!!

We're not from the UK so it's hard for us to know if names are associated more with people from one class or another.

We want to call our daughter Karen (or Kerryn) as it's a popular Israeli name (DH is Israeli) but want a name that works in the UK too. My mum says it's a "hairdresser" name (please, no insult meant there either!!!) and along the lines of Chardonnay and Sharon!

I've known quite a few Karens in my time, from various classes/cultures, and all of them lovely people. But I don't want to give my child a name that she'll find embarassing!

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totalmisfit · 23/02/2008 12:39

i had a friend at school called Karen. She'd be about 26 now, so i reckon it's a name worth starting a new trend over.

Nancy66 · 23/02/2008 12:33

It's a name that was very popular in the 60s - would lump it in with Julie and Debbie.

Karen Millen is a 40 something woman from a working class family in Maidstone in Kent and is a perfect example.

DforDiva · 23/02/2008 11:54

no, not at all

TheMaskedPoster · 23/02/2008 11:36

Karen is a wonderful name

NKF · 23/02/2008 11:26

Karen Millen fits that demographic oddly enough. The clothes are expensive but they are are sort of smart and a bit tarty. What a WAG might wear if she wanted to look "classy."

Iota · 23/02/2008 11:21

what about Karen Millen, Nancy?

Nancy66 · 23/02/2008 09:57

It's not what would be called a 'chav' name but it is a very old fashioned working class name.
It's what my mum would call a 'council estate name' - i know that sounds very snobby but i'm just trying to give an honest answer and make myself understood.
I class 'chavvy' names as names that are made up and have no meaning like Maddison, Bailey, Brandy etc.
Karen i'd put alongside names like: Darren, Gary, Pauline etc.

Wilkie · 23/02/2008 08:28

posh

Wilkie · 23/02/2008 08:28

JUst to say, the old area manager where I used to work was called Karen but pronounced it car-on. We all used to take the p*ss behind her back because it sounded like she was trying to make herslf sound post i.e. Bucket/Bouquet stylee, and all made a point of calling her Karen to annoy her

fishie · 22/02/2008 21:30

if you are looking for care-on pronunciation then caron (irish form of karen) could be a better solution. i think kerryn would generally be spoken as kerrin for people reading it. the only karen alt pron that i've heard is car-in.

NKF · 22/02/2008 21:24

Kerryn looks vaguely Irish to me. Not sure why. County Kerry perhaps. Karen is unusual in that it's been out of fashion for a while. I think it's rather nice. It doesn't hold any class connotations for me apart from not being upper class.

Phatmouse · 22/02/2008 21:23

Kerryn would just get annoying I think, I only think this as my surname is McMahon and people can neither say it pronounce it or follow me when I spell it!

In itself its a nice name.

Iota · 22/02/2008 21:19

Karen is a great name

skyatnight · 22/02/2008 21:19

I like both/either, Karen or Kerryn. (Sorry if that doesn't help. )

pointydog · 22/02/2008 21:19

kerryn is a bit unnecessary, a bit what's-that-name-trying-to-day. Straightforward Karen

unknownrebelbang · 22/02/2008 21:18

I prefer Kerryn.

(with apologies to my cousin Karen, lol)

Kindersurpise · 22/02/2008 21:18

I have 2 cousins, one is Karen and one is Karin. Karin is the German version, my Aunt prefered it.

I prefer Karen to Kerryn.

zebedee1 · 22/02/2008 21:18

I have a friend called Kerrin and I think it's a very pretty name, quite unusual in the UK too. Go for Kerryn, it's lovely!

pointydog · 22/02/2008 21:17

I like the name Karen. It used to be very popular so I suppose your mum got sick of it. But you don't get many now. Has a nice sound.

Original poster
derah · 22/02/2008 21:17

Probably agree with you though MrsBadger!

OP posts:
Original poster
derah · 22/02/2008 21:16

Hate to think what Mum would say about the weird spelling , but I think Kerryn looks prettier too.

Pronunciation is keh-run (as in care), rather then car-run or ka-run (like as in carrot), if that makes sense. But there's so little difference that I doubt it's really significant.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 22/02/2008 21:15

now I would say Kerryn was, um, less classy

Karen I rather like, am a fan of simple-but-pretty names for girls.

purpleturtle · 22/02/2008 21:15

I like Kerryn, too.

StressTeddy · 22/02/2008 21:15

Kerryn very pretty

UniversallyChallenged · 22/02/2008 21:13

kerryn is prettier