Fun Facts About the Name Kaarin
- 89 babies named Kaarin: U.S. records list 89 babies given the name Kaarin from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kaarin Mean?
Kaarin is a Finnish and Estonian feminine name whose customary meaning is "pure." It is a shortened form of the Finnish Kaarina, the Finnish equivalent of Katherine, which goes back to the Greek name Aikaterine (Αἰκατερίνη). The origin of that Greek name is not settled. The common explanation connects it with katharos (καθαρός), "pure," but this is probably a later reinterpretation, helped along by the spelling Katharina that became usual in Christian Greek and Latin. Some early writers instead linked the name to the goddess Hekate. "Pure," then, is the accepted customary meaning rather than a securely proven etymology.
Kaarin Name History & Origins
The name traveled north with Christianity. Devotion to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, widely venerated in medieval Europe, made Katherine and its many regional forms common from the Middle Ages onward, usually through the Latin Catharina. In Finland the saint's name took the forms Katariina and Kaarina, and shorter forms followed, among them Kaarin, along with Kaisa, Katri and Riina. The Finnish town of Kaarina, next to Turku, is still called S:t Karins ("Saint Karins") in Swedish, a reminder of the saint behind the name. Estonian has its own set of forms of the same name, including Kadri, Katrin and Kaarin. The closely related short form Karin, common in Swedish and German, comes from the same source and is not a separate name, though the two are usually treated as distinct spellings.
How Popular is the Name Kaarin?
Kaarin has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1968. Its best rank was #4,615 in 1968.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | #9,717 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #11,151 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #9,733 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #9,629 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #7,595 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #9,919 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #9,690 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #6,044 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #4,856 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #4,615 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #6,362 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1966 | #6,124 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #5,716 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with K
How the Name Kaarin Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Kaarin's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kaarin's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.