← All names

Kari

Girl name · 139 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Kari: 139 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 13 births in 1980.

Kari has several distinct origins, but for English and Scottish speakers it is most familiar as a Scandinavian short form of Karin or Katherine, ultimately from the Greek *katharos*, meaning “pure.” In Norse mythology, Kari is also the name of a wind giant, so the Old Norse root carries a sense of “curly” or “windy.” The name gained modern visibility through Kari Byron, the charismatic artist and presenter on *MythBusters*, and Kari Matchett, the Canadian actor known for *Covert Affairs*. While no major places are directly named after a Kari, the name shares its sound with the Scottish river Carron – whose etymology is unrelated but echoes the same crisp rhythm. In Scotland, Kari has seen sporadic use since the 1970s, often chosen as a streamlined, cross-cultural alternative to Carrie or Kerry.