Kareem

Kareem - A very unique male name

Kareem appeared on the charts for the first time in 1971 on position #1217. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kareem and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kareem? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Kareem. The baby boy name Kareem was given to 327 baby boys in 2025, ranking #721 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,484 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kareem peaked in popularity 49 years ago in 1977 on position 367.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kareem, 1-5?

Kareem is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kareem is currently topping the baby name charts in Michigan at position #335 - and is the least popular in Tennessee at position #1,107.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kareem is where you live.

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Kareem origin and meaning

Arabic

'Generous, noble' — from Arabic karim, 'generous'

Kareem is a transliteration of Karim, one of the 99 names of Allah in Islam (al-Karim, the Generous). In the U.S. it peaked in 1980, around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers prime, and has declined gradually since.

Attested etymology

Kareem is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Kareem, pop culture references for the name Kareem and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Kareem

We've found the following names that sound similar to Kareem, sorted by popularity.

Kieran / Karim / Kyren / Kyron / Kiran / Karon / Kyran / Karen / Kyrin / Karam /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kareem

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Kareem a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Kareem?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

kuh-REEM · /kəˈriːm/

Around the world

• Karim (Arabic) — The other standard transliteration

Spellings and nicknames

• Karim — Alternative transliteration
• Karem — Occasional spelling

Famous bearers

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — American NBA basketball player and all-time great (b. 1947) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Kareem is chosen for a meaning — generosity — that matters in Muslim families, and for its smooth sound.

Worth knowing

• The basketball legend dominates the association in the U.S.
• Transliteration splits with Karim