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 Karenmug. Incredibly self-righteous and over-confident woman who often rudely calls out others and threatens extreme action when she encounters situations that differ from her idea of what's correct. Often set-off by issue of morality and fairness, and she knows neither....
The kids were all lined up, but a Karen arrived and put her kin in the front of the line because she said that he was having an exceptionally bad day. Was surrounded on the sidewalk by too much "whiteness".
by cambridgetruth February 2, 2022
Get the Karenmug. Her over there, She's a right Karen
by Captain_Canada November 21, 2022
Get the Karenmug. An intelligent, strong and independent beautiful lady who always want to speak to the manager. She stands for her right and isn't easily intimidated
by Ska21 January 30, 2020
Get the Karenmug. *rue voice* hood Karen grew up in a ghetto neighborhood. Each day she ate three spoons of canola oil & she still managed to be fat! Hood Karen didn’t grow up looking up to country club Karen’s. Mini hood Karen looked up to n-word saying black boys. Now… it’s her mission to take out anger on pretty 15 year old girls
person 1: hey hood Karen! I’m so happy you could make it… to our lake party… that we didn’t invite u to
Hood Karen: *repositions feet* *looks greeter up and down* *n-word*
Other person: woah
Person 1: dude that’s not very nice
Hood Karen: n-word
Person 2: dude my friends black. She’s actually really nice
Hood Karen: n-word n-word n-word
Person 1: k we’re gonna ask u to leave
Hood Karen: walks away while blasting fight song
Hood Karen: *repositions feet* *looks greeter up and down* *n-word*
Other person: woah
Person 1: dude that’s not very nice
Hood Karen: n-word
Person 2: dude my friends black. She’s actually really nice
Hood Karen: n-word n-word n-word
Person 1: k we’re gonna ask u to leave
Hood Karen: walks away while blasting fight song
by reincarnatedkanyewest April 13, 2022
Get the hood karenmug. Karen: A person (usually a middle-aged white woman) who is entitled to getting what they want and usually tries to act like the victim.
"That lady at the Walmart was such a Karen!!! She threatened to sue the store if they didn't give her the dress she wanted."
by dictionaryblob128 March 28, 2022
Get the Karenmug.