The yellow, in the documented Hawaiian word-based tradition.
The exact Hawaiian given-name entry explains ka, the, plus lena, yellow, and notes the historical royal-color association. It separately documents a later phonetic rendering of English Karen. The yellow gloss applies to the Hawaiian word-based history, not automatically to the unrelated Karen-derived route.
Origin
Hawaiian word-based tradition; also a Hawaiian rendering of English Karen.
The reviewed Hawaiian given-name entry explicitly separates the word-based formation from later use as an English Karen rendering. The older licensed Hawaiian label is retained as a candidate rather than discarded.
English pronunciation
Not yet published for this spelling.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2017
Girls
5
3307
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
2012
Girls
5 (rounded to 5)
6434
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
50
3167
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Meaning: The yellow, in the documented Hawaiian word-based tradition.
Checked against cited source
The exact Hawaiian given-name entry explains ka, the, plus lena, yellow, and notes the historical royal-color association. It separately documents a later phonetic rendering of English Karen. The yellow gloss applies to the Hawaiian word-based history, not automatically to the unrelated Karen-derived route.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Pronunciation in the source language: Hawaiian: /kaˈle.na/
Checked against cited source
Directly documented Hawaiian name reading; it is not presented as a verified English guide. Families may prefer another reading.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: Hawaiian word-based tradition; also a Hawaiian rendering of English Karen.
Checked against cited source
The reviewed Hawaiian given-name entry explicitly separates the word-based formation from later use as an English Karen rendering. The older licensed Hawaiian label is retained as a candidate rather than discarded.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Related name: Karen
Checked against cited source
Explicit later phonetic name rendering in the reviewed Hawaiian entry; this is distinct from Kalena’s Hawaiian word-based formation, and statistics are not combined.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.