Caren

  • [ KER-ən ]
  • English
Variant of KAREN (1).

KAREN (1)   female   Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, English
Danish short form of KATHERINE. It became common in the English-speaking world after the 1930s.
KATHERINE   female   English
From the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name ‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess HECATE; it could be related to Greek αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

The name was borne by a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. The saint was initially venerated in Syria, and returning crusaders introduced the name to Western Europe. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many different spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages.

Famous bearers of the name include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. It was also borne by three of Henry VIII's wives, including Katherine of Aragon, and by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.
HECATE   female   Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek ‘Εκατη (Hekate), possibly derived from ‘εκας (hekas) meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.
FULL FORMS
ENGLISH: Caetlin, Caitlin, Caitlyn, Catharine, Catherin, Catherina, Catherine, Cathleen, Cathryn, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaitlynn, Katelin, Katelyn, Katelynn, Katharine, Katharyn, Katherina, Katherine, Katheryn, Katheryne, Kathleen, Kathlyn, Kathryn, Katlyn, Katrina, Katriona
EQUIVALENTS
ANCIENT GREEK: Aikaterine
BASQUE: Katalin, Kattalin
BELARUSIAN: Katsiaryna
BRETON: Katarin, Katell
BULGARIAN: Ekaterina, Katerina
CATALAN: Caterina
CROATIAN: Ina, Kata, Katarina, Kate, Katica, Tina
CZECH: Kateřina, Katka
DANISH: Caja, Carina, Cathrine, Ina, Kaja, Karen, Karin, Karina, Katarina, Katharina, Kathrine, Katja, Katrine, Trine
DUTCH: Catharina, Cato, Ina, Karin, Katelijn, Katelijne, Katinka, Katja, Katrien, Katrijn, Katrina, Rina, Rini, Riny, Tina, Trijntje
ENGLISH: Caelie, Caileigh, Cailin, Cailyn, Caleigh, Caryn, Cate, Cathy, Cayley, Kae, Kaelea, Kaelee, Kaelyn, Kailee, Kailey, Kailyn, Kaleigh, Kaley, Kalie, Kalyn, Karen, Karena, Karin, Karina, Karyn, Kat, Kate, Kathi, Kathie, Kathy, Kay, Kaye, Kayla, Kayleah, Kaylee, Kayleen, Kayleigh, Kayley, Kaylie, Kaylin, Kayly, Kaylyn, Kaylynn, Keighley, Kerena, Kit, Kitty, Trina
ESTONIAN: Kadri, Kaia, Kaisa, Kaja, Katariina, Kati, Katrin, Riina, Triinu
FINNISH: Iina, Kaarina, Kaija, Kaisa, Karin, Kata, Katariina, Kati, Katri, Katriina, Riina
FRENCH: Carine, Catherine, Karine
FRISIAN: Nienke, Nine, Nynke
GALICIAN: Catarina
GEORGIAN: Eka, Ekaterine
GERMAN: Carina, Cathrin, Catrin, Ina, Karen, Karin, Karina, Katarina, Katarine, Katharina, Katharine, Käthe, Katherina, Kathrin, Katinka, Katja, Katrin, Katrina
GREEK: Aikaterine, Katerina, Katina
HAWAIIAN: Kakalina, Kalena
HISTORY: Kateri
HUNGARIAN: Kata, Katalin, Katalinka, Katarina, Kati, Katica, Kató, Kitti
ICELANDIC: Karen, Katrín
IRISH: Cáit, Caitlín, Caitlin, Caitria, Caitríona, Cathleen, Catrina, Catriona, Kathleen, Ríona
ITALIAN: Catarina, Caterina, Rina
LATE ROMAN: Katerina
LIMBURGISH: Ina
LITHUANIAN: Katrė, Kotryna
MACEDONIAN: Ekaterina, Katerina, Katina
MEDIEVAL FRENCH: Cateline
NORWEGIAN: Carina, Cathrine, Ina, Kaia, Kaja, Karen, Kari, Karin, Karina, Karine, Katarina, Katharina, Kathrine, Katja, Katrine
OCCITAN: Catarina
POLISH: Karina, Kasia, Katarzyna
PORTUGUESE: Catarina, Cátia
ROMANIAN: Cătălina, Catina, Ecaterina
RUSSIAN: Ekaterina, Jekaterina, Karina, Katenka, Katerina, Katia, Katya, Yekaterina
SCOTTISH: Caitrìona, Catrina, Catriona
SERBIAN: Katarina
SLOVAK: Katarína, Katka
SLOVENE: Kaja, Katarina, Katica, Katja
SPANISH: Catalina
SWEDISH: Cajsa, Carin, Carina, Catharina, Cathrine, Catrine, Ina, Kai, Kaj, Kaja, Kajsa, Karin, Karina, Katarina, Katharina, Katja, Katrin, Katrina
UKRAINIAN: Kateryna
WELSH: Cadi, Catrin
DIMINUTIVES AND SHORT FORMS
DUTCH: Tineke
ENGLISH: Kaety, Katee, Katey, Katie, Katy
MASCULINE FORMS
ROMANIAN: Cătălin
OTHER FORMS
ENGLISH: Keila, Shayla, Tayla
GEORGIAN: Ketevan, Keti, Keto
GREEK MYTHOLOGY: Hekate