Karen entered the English language from Danish, where it has been a short form of "Katherine" since medieval times. It proceeded from the Greek word Aikaterine, which is believed to mean "pure." It became popular in the English-speaking world in the 1940s. The name Karen was one of the top 10 names for girls born in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, peaking as the third most popular girl's name in 1965. Due to its increasingly common derogatory use since 2017, the name has become significantly less popular in the United States in recent years.
Karen is a proper name and should not be used otherwise. When used as slang to mean "bad" or "vile", feelings of anger, hate, and sadistic amusement are evoked and directed toward anyone with this name. The derogatory use of the name Karen started as a joke in current pop culture but it has been perpetuated to the point that the popularity of the name is in decline and some people who were given this noble name at birth have legally changed their name due to the stigma that is now attached. That's no longer a joke.
Karen is a proper name and should not be used otherwise. When used as slang to mean "bad" or "vile", feelings of anger, hate, and sadistic amusement are evoked and directed toward anyone with this name. The derogatory use of the name Karen started as a joke in current pop culture but it has been perpetuated to the point that the popularity of the name is in decline and some people who were given this noble name at birth have legally changed their name due to the stigma that is now attached. That's no longer a joke.
by Celtic Woman1 May 5, 2023
Get the Karen mug.A person who always tries to get their way, no matter what. They tend to throw tantrums in public and end up embarassing themselves. They're usually blonde white women, however anyone can be a karen.
"She screamed at me and threatened to call the cops when I accidentally bumped into her, what a karen."
by Just an irrelevant dumbass May 22, 2023
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karen • Karenism • karena • karene • Karening • Karenoia • Karen Hausman • karenoid • Karen Antoinette • karen effect
A racial slur against white women that perpetuates a stereotype that they're an inherently belligerent and argumentative people.
Taco bell employee: "Sorry for the wait, some Karen held up the line."
You: "That's a very racist thing to say and you shouldn't say it again."
You: "That's a very racist thing to say and you shouldn't say it again."
by Doc_Green May 25, 2023
Get the Karen mug.An entitled narcissistic person who inserts themselves in others’ business while causing a scene—very loud, uses profanity, and tend to be violent—while being extremely hypercritical. They police other people and love to play victim while victimizing others. They love to call corporate and/or police on people they particularly dislike. While most Karens’ are depicted as white blond woman, Karens come in all shapes and sizes, nationalities, genders, and sexual orientation.
Karen complains that her favorite parking spot was replaced by a ramp for wheel chairs. She parks her car in the old spot anyway and complains about it online.
by RyMin June 1, 2023
Get the Karen mug.by Its_kitts_1 July 5, 2023
Get the Karen mug.Catch-all term used by lazy people to describe someone who complains about something no matter how justified it is.
That man started lecturing us about leaving cleaning chemicals around small children. What a Karen, am I right?
by Worufrey July 7, 2023
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