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

[derah]

... 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!

[Kindersurpise]

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.

[unknownrebelbang]

I prefer Kerryn.

(with apologies to my cousin Karen, lol)

[pointydog]

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

[skyatnight]

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

[Iota]

Karen is a great name

[Phatmouse]

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.

[NKF]

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.

[fishie]

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.

[Wilkie]

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

[Wilkie]

posh

[Nancy66]

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.

[Iota]

what about Karen Millen, Nancy?

[NKF]

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."

[TheMaskedPoster]

Karen is a wonderful name

[DforDiva]

no, not at all

[Nancy66]

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.

[totalmisfit]

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.

[Sparkler]

Not chavvy in the slightest. I prefer Kerryn to Karen though. It does look prettier "written" down. Is Kerryn pronounced the same as Karen or does it sound more like Kerrin?

[cosima]

Kara

[MillieMummy]

I am a Karen ! True that all the Karen's I have met are about the same age as me (late 30's), it is one of those 1960's names. I do have problems sometimes when people use the 'posh' pronounciation - 'Car-ren' which I don't (personally) like.

When I was born one of my parents friends thought they had made the name up because it sounded so exotic!

[TwoFirTreesToday]

posh version (not that its common) might be Carenza or Karenza, Cornish I think

[Lulumama]

two of the loveliest people i know are called karen

[HalyconDays]

Factoid: the Karen people are the largest ethnic minority group living in Burma and Thailand.

[Deux]

I think Karen is Danish and is v popular there?

In Scotland, especially the north it is pronounced Car-on with the emphasis on the first syllable. In the far far north it almost rhymes with Barn - Car-n.

So if you encounter a Karen pronouncing it Car-on and she is Scottish it isn't because she is trying to be 'posh'!

[turquoise]

It's a 70s name to me - along with Lorraine, Joanne, Debbie, Jackie, Julie, Colin, Barry, Wayne etc. Makes me think of Grange Hill and Jackie magazine.