Karleen is a name of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch surname Karlijn. The surname Karlijn is said to be a variant of the Dutch given name Karoline, which itself is derived from the Latin name Carolina. This name has its roots in the Late Latin word "carulus," meaning "strong" or "freeholder."
The name Karleen first gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the mid-20th century. It was likely brought over by Dutch immigrants who settled in countries such as the United States and Canada, where it became more commonly used.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Karleen or its variants. For instance, Karlijn Sileghem is a Belgian astronomer known for her work on exoplanets, while Karoline von Günderrode was a German poet who lived during the Romantic period.
While it may not be as widely recognized as some other names of Dutch origin, such as Janssen or van den Berg, Karleen remains a unique and distinct name that carries with it a rich history and cultural heritage.
The name Karleen experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the century from 1914 to 2020. The peak years for this name were 1935 and 1945 with 37 and 51 births respectively. However, there was a marked decline after the 1960s, with the number of births dropping below 20 from the year 1980 onwards. By the end of the century, Karleen had become quite rare, with fewer than ten births per year recorded between 1999 and 2014. In recent years, it appears that Karleen has all but disappeared, with only a handful of births reported annually since 2015. Over the entire period, there were a total of 2756 births registered under this name.