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At a Glance: Name: Karina – Meaning: either a form of Katherine, or from Latin Carina ('keel', also an Italian term of endearment) – Origin: Greek/Latin (uncertain) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: kuh-REE-nuh
Karina is pronounced kuh-REE-nuh, and it traces back to Greek or Latin roots. You might come across the claim that it means "pure, chaste," but that only holds up if you treat Karina as a form of Katherine, and even then it's more folk etymology than a settled origin. It's just as likely to come from the Latin Carina, meaning "keel," a word also used as a term of endearment in Italian.
Meaning & Origin of Karina
Meaning: Either a form of katherine, or from latin carina ('keel', also an italian term of endearment).
Origin: Greek/Latin (uncertain).
A common claim: pure, chaste Actually: 'Pure, chaste' only applies if Karina is taken as a Katherine-form, and even there it's a folk etymology rather than a confirmed root; Karina may instead derive from Carina, which has nothing to do with 'pure.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Karina
Phonetic: kuh-REE-nuh IPA: /kəˈriːnə/
Popularity of Karina
Karina peaked in 1996 at #108, when 2,868 babies were given the name; by 2024 it had settled to #774, with 363 babies given the name that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1956–2024.
Make Karina Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Karina, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Karina mean?
Either a form of katherine, or from latin carina (‘keel’, also an italian term of endearment). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Karina)
How do you pronounce Karina?
Karina is pronounced kuh-REE-nuh (IPA: /kəˈriːnə/).
Is Karina a popular name right now?
Karina peaked at #108 in 1996 and is ranked #774 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1956–2024.)
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