Karen is a girl’s name of Scandinavian origin that can be translated to Katherine or Kaja.
Recently, the term Karen has become a commonly-used online insult to describe someone who acts unnecessarily rude, entitled or racist. It’s usually associated with white women who are loud and obnoxious in public.
Origin
Karen is an etymologically feminine given name that originated in Scandinavia and is now the most popular girls’ name in America. It derives from the Greek aikaterine, meaning “pure,” and shares similarities to Danish names Kaja and Katherine. Additionally, Karen has become a common name throughout Armenia and Iran.
In these countries, as well as some Asian and African ones, the name is also used as a surname. It’s often given to female infants; in 1965 it ranked fourth on the US list of popular girl’s names.
Before the 2000s, this name wasn’t typically associated with any particular stereotype: it seemed like a generic white woman’s name that only recently gained popularity online. According to Vox, however, that has now shifted in recent years as it has become a slang term for “entitled white women.”
Bionic’s study revealed that Karen-like behavior was most frequent in the U.S., while it was less frequent among countries with lower socioeconomic levels and diverse populations. By looking at women’s names, researchers were able to identify those most likely to engage in these behaviors.
These include demanding to speak to the manager in order to belittle service industry workers, being anti-vaccination, and engaging in racist microaggressions such as asking to touch someone’s hair. Furthermore, people of color often weaponize their privilege against those of color by filing police complaints for minor or fictitious violations.
Recently, Karen culture has spread online among middle-class white women. These individuals, known as “Wall of Moms” in Portland’s protest movement, are often depicted as using their privilege to combat racial inequality.
The Karen name has caused controversy, with some criticizing its misogynist and class prejudice origins. Yet it should be remembered that this term is often used by people of color as a way to protest their oppression and gain solidarity with those less powerful than themselves. Furthermore, it does not constitute a racial slur nor does it exclude white women either – simply giving those oppressed a platform to discuss white supremacy.
Meaning
Karen is a derogatory term that describes a middle-aged white woman who often exhibits rudeness, entitlement and spoiltness. You may see these individuals venting on social media or calling store managers about what they perceive to be an absence of recognition for their privilege.
Some contend the term is racist, but others suggest sexism may be at play. Isobel Schimkowitz, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California, suggested people may use shortenings they’re familiar with on social media platforms as a possible explanation.
Particularly when it comes to online criticism of white women, which often involves an implicit form of sexism in which women are judged for their online activities without consideration for the power dynamics they impose upon others.
An example of this was Amy Cooper, who was accused of calling the police on a Black man in Central Park when she felt threatened by him. It was an especially distressing incident which spurred San Francisco to pass the Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies Act in response.
Over the past year, several Karen-like incidents have appeared online, such as a woman blocking a man’s car from entering a store because she thought he was going to run her over and someone threatening to call the police for stencilling ‘Black Lives Matter’ on his retaining wall. These cases illustrate how Karens use their privilege to harass, intimidate and even murder other people in order to obtain what they desire.
But these incidents appear to be far from unique, as Karen people have been described as many different types of individuals.
Urban Dictionary describes Karens as middle-aged women who look and speak like suburban moms. They typically own minivans, have bob-haircuts, and feel entitled to many things. Karens can be rude but also give a lot of love to their children and pets. Unfortunately, Karens often have poor taste in clothing or other accessories – leading them to make unnecessary fuss over insignificant details.
Connotation
People often associate “Karen” with someone who throws a fit or demands to speak to the manager over minor irritations, but that’s not all this term has to offer.
Karen has become a commonly-used nickname to refer to a white woman who uses her privilege to control non-white people for self-serving or even racist reasons. It’s become an increasingly common slang expression over recent years.
Originally, the term was applied to an entitled, angry middle-aged woman. But now it has come to be seen as a label for individuals who exhibit various behaviors – from calling the police on black neighbors to assertively refusing face coverings during Covid-19.
Karen as a pejorative has become increasingly common on social media and in popular culture. While criticised for being sexist, the term serves to denote an individual who uses her privilege to do things that are neither right nor acceptable.
As is common with slang terms, its exact origin remains uncertain. However, some experts speculate that shortening people’s names might have been one possible catalyst.
Another possibility is that this term has become outdated due to how names are often shortened and abbreviated on social media platforms. This tendency can also be seen in other contexts, such as female given names, which could indicate that these terms have become shorthand for stereotypes or insults online.
More likely, however, the term Karen is used as a derogatory to target an entire group of people. It has become one of those labels that has become prevalent in today’s digital age as people search for ways to express their anger or frustration.
Early this month, a woman in San Francisco called the police on her neighbor for stenciling “Black Lives Matter” on her retaining wall. That incident is just one of many that have captured our attention over the last few years.
Variations
Karen is a girl’s name of Danish origin that derives from the Greek word katharos, meaning “pure.” It’s diminutive form of Katherine and has been given to several renowned individuals such as actresses Karen Allen and Karen Carpenter.
It has been a beloved classic name for decades. During the baby boom era in America, it reached its peak popularity at #3 in 1960 and has since fallen out of fashion; however, it remains popular as a girl’s name.
The origins of the term Aikaterine are uncertain, but it’s often associated with a Greek goddess named Aikaterine. She was the offspring of Zeus and Artemis who was born during an age when women were seen as unclean and uneducated.
In addition to other meanings of the term, “Karen” can also be used to refer to an angry and aggressive white woman, often described as being “meddlesome” or “annoying.” When described as being Karen by others, it often implies an overbearing and self-important attitude – particularly among middle aged women.
This type of behavior has been a persistent issue for years, particularly in the United States where it tends to be more common among whites than other races. Furthermore, high poverty areas tend to have higher prevalence rates of this behavior.
Some of the more extreme behaviors can be indicative of racism, which is what gives this slur its negative connotation. It’s not uncommon to witness Karens calling the police on black and Hispanic people or deny someone a mask or scarf without justification.
Donald Trump often gets derided as “the president with no heart”; and it’s easy to understand why. His overbearing, self-important personality traits have been widely observed as the opposite of friendly and welcoming.
Slurs like this are often seen as an expression of anger at the treatment of women and people of color by white people, showing how racist beliefs can spread from person to person. But there are many other reasons why this has become such a contentious issue in America, too.
