Karan

Updated: September 30, 2023 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Karan is a complex baby name for boys or girls. In Sanskrit cultures, it is a masculine option, and in English-speaking countries, it is feminine. Karan has not been a top 1,000 name in America, however, since 1959.

Meaning of the Name Karan

The baby name Karan is an ancient Middle Eastern name that comes from the Sanskrit word “karan.” It translates to “clever” or skillful” and is for boys. Karan could also be a form of Karen, however, for girls. Karen was the original Danish diminutive of Katherine. It spread to English-speaking countries in the early twentieth century.

If considering Karan as an Indian boy's name, it would mean “clever” or “skillful.” For females, however, it means “pure” because it has the same meaning as Katherine and Karen.

Happy cute little girl 8 years old in a striped t-shirt and jeans with glasses sits at home on a carpet in front of a laptop, remote education technologies and homework — ©Olezzo/Shutterstock.com

Nicknames for Karan

Karan is complex and unique. It has a multicultural feel when considering the first pronunciation option. Here are some fun nickname options that we've found for you to consider:

Kara
Kar
Kar Kar
KK
Kari
Karie
Kary
Ren
Renny

Karan Name Details

Style: Traditional

Gender: Neutral

Pronunciation: KAR-un or KEHR-un

Syllables: Two

Alternative Spelling for Karan

Karen
Caran
Caren
Karyn
Caryn
Karynn
Carynn

Karan Name Popularity

Karan was a top 1,000 name in America for girls in the mid-twentieth century. In 1941, it was rank 979, moving to the top 800 list from 1955 to 1957. It ranked highest in 1956 at number 746. The last year Karan was a top 1,000 choice was in 1959 at rank 833.