I’m pretty sure almost all of us know about the [name_f]Karen[/name_f] memes. Although, the name is nice, the memes have had a negative effect on the name. [name_f]Karen[/name_f] was a very popular name in the 1950s and 1960s. However, only 14 babies were given this name in 2019. Plus its #660 in the US. Due to its negative associations, this name has hit the lowest of the low since 1930. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think [name_f]Karen[/name_f] may go extinct within a few years. As for me, it is likely, because of the poor associations and probably because it feels dated, it may drop places and eventually become extinct.
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No, I think it will come back. We all know about the 100 year rule, & I think this one might take longer — ~150 years from now. It’s dated in the first place. 
Anyways, I don’t think it’s extinct. I like [name_f]Karen[/name_f] “[name_u]Ren[/name_u]” but obviously can’t use it! 
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I can agree! Maybe when the memes die down it could make a comeback possibly! But, we do have some alternatives to it so I guess that’s a start.
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After all, our grandchildren probably won’t even know the [name_f]Karen[/name_f] memes existed. It might follow the 100 years rule, although can’t see it getting any fashionable in near future.
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Something similar happens in Spain with the names Cayetano/Cayetana. It has become a way to name posh people that think they’re better and their ideology is the only one valid (more or less). Tbh this name is quite people among them so even if the name has now bad association, they’ll keep using it.
So I guess, as well as “Cayetanos” think the name is using against them unfairly, [name_f]Karen[/name_f] like poeple will keep using the name. However, the name already feels dated, with memes or not. I agree with the 100 years rule.
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Karen seems dated to me and the negative meme just compounds its datedness. I don’t think it will go completely extinct, since there are plenty of people who have mothers and grandmothers named [name_f]Karen[/name_f] who they might like to honour. But I can’t see it being a popular name again for a long time.
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Yes, I agree with the others that it’ll probably come back in like 150 years, but no one from the current generations who are having children now ([name_f]Gen[/name_f] Z/Millennials) will probably use the name.
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I don’t think it will become extinct. I think it will take a little while to get back to what it was as so many people look at it as a negative. In the way that people now say president names should not be used for so much time, [name_f]Karen[/name_f] will be much the same way… people who have a personal tie to the name will continue to use it. Those who tie it (and other names) too closely to the world’s view of names will take some time to change their viewpoints.
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It will probably come back at some point. Sexist memes generally don’t endure.
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I think it will go extinct. Maybe in 100 years [name_f]Karen[/name_f] will sound vintage and be used again.
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Where are you seeing only 14 babies? Maybe that is in your area? In the US in 2019 it was 438 girls, 6 boys.
I see it dropping but not extinct. [name_f]Karen[/name_f] is popular in Spanish speaking homes where the [name_f]Karen[/name_f] memes might not be as pervasive, also plenty of people are named [name_f]Karen[/name_f] now and some of them will have babies named after them at some point.
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I believe it was on another naming website while I was doing some research and looking at the origin/history of the name. I don’t remember what it was called though.
I think the 100 year rule for this name starts now, as opposed to in the 60s, because of how immensely tied it is to the year 2020 specifically. I’m actually surprised that even 14 couples chose it in the last year- I couldn’t imagine anyone I know of naming their baby [name_f]Karen[/name_f]. However, in 2120 we may seem some again! Well, WE won’t see them, but ya know. 
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Karen is a cute name and plenty of people don’t care what other people think about their naming choices, so I don’t think it will become extinct. But certainly unlikely to be remotely popular any time soon.
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There were actually 438 girls who were named [name_f]Karen[/name_f] in 2019. The meme was starting to get popular that year but I knew several peers at the end of 2019 who were still not familiar with the meme yet so it will probably have a sharp decrease in 2020 as I think most know about it now.
I feel like there’s surprisingly still small pockets of people who are either still not familiar with the meme (ex: my mom lives under a rock when it comes to social media, pop culture, and the current news so I bet she still hasn’t heard of it but she’s not having any more kids so it doesn’t matter) or just don’t immediately think of the association. Like I’ve once seen someone visiting a small rural town introduce herself as “[name_f]Karen[/name_f], like the meme” and the other person said that while she has heard about the meme, she didn’t even think of the meme when she sees and hears the name [name_f]Karen[/name_f].
I’m not sure about current children but most of the Karens I know that are my age (~20s) are 2nd generation from a variety of backgrounds ([name_f]Indian[/name_f], Chinese, Nigerian, Vietnamese). So I wonder if [name_f]Karen[/name_f] will still be relatively common among immigrants, who are less likely to be aware of current American pop culture and memes, looking for a Western name to fit in society. So maybe it will be kept alive that way. I’ve also discovered that [name_f]Karen[/name_f] is in the name bank in specialname.cn so many Chinese are probably using [name_f]Karen[/name_f] as their [name_f]English[/name_f] name. It wouldn’t be counted in SSA’s count though because they’re not actually born nor living in the US.
I was thinking the same. Maybe [name_f]Karina[/name_f] or [name_f]Katarina[/name_f] will increase to replace [name_f]Karen[/name_f]. If they’re enough of a name nerd, they could also do any other name in the [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] family but I doubt most know that.
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I agree it’ll come back. The memes have had a negative affect, but its well-liked for a reason, and I’m sure there are plenty of people who would love to honor mothers/grandmothers/great-grandmothers etc. My mom is Karen, and while I’ve never been a huge fan in general, its hard to imagine it going completely extinct when there are so many people, like me, who have truly wonderful associations with the name outside of social media? I do think it’ll take a while, though, lol.
As far as using alternate forms, this is true–my mom is one of 3 different women in our family tree with a Katherine variant. I’d happily use Cara, Ciaran, Kaia, Katherine, Katharina, etc. for my own kids, but I can still see a day when Karen will come back in favor and people will want to use it again?
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Because [name_f]Karen[/name_f] has come to mean something negative, I think it may well become extinct as a given name. This has happened to other names, eg [name_f]Fanny[/name_f], [name_m]Dick[/name_m].
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Both of your examples were used as nicknames primarily. Other nicknames could easily be found for the associated names.
If you are looking for a name example, then [name_u]Gay[/name_u] would be one. [name_u]Gay[/name_u] meant happy long before it came to mean what it now does. It was used as a name in the past as well. I don’t think this is quite the same though. I don’t think a meme would have the same consequences in the long run that has come with the new meaning for [name_u]Gay[/name_u] & what it has done for the name.
I think this as well. Memes don’t tend to have that long of a lifespan (whereas I can’t see the common definition of gay changing).
Also, for me, actress [name_f]Karen[/name_f] Fukuhara helps balance out the negative associations of the name.
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