Karan in Irish? Catriona Is the Closest Irish Name
Karan is an Indian boy’s name from Sanskrit; in Ireland it was given to girls as a spelling of Karen, a Danish short form of Katherine. Catriona, the Irish form of Katherine, is the closest Irish name. Here’s how to say Catriona, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Closest Irish name
- Catriona
- Catriona means
- Pure
- Gender
- Girl
How do you say Catriona?
The closest Irish name to Karan is Catriona. Catriona is pronounced ka-TREE-na. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second.
What does Catriona mean?
Catriona means “pure.” Karan is an Indian boy’s name from Sanskrit; in Ireland it was given to girls as a spelling of Karen, a Danish short form of Katherine.
Read more about Catriona: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Karan in Ireland?
Karan wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 1982, when 4 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 1967, when 9 baby girls were named Karan, No. 246 that year. The most babies got the name in 1978: 11. The records go back to 1964, when 3 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 4 | No. 467 |
| 1981 | 6 | No. 386 |
| 1979 | 8 | No. 346 |
| 1978 | 11 | No. 302 |
| 1977 | 3 | No. 518 |
| 1975 | 4 | No. 455 |
| 1972 | 4 | No. 428 |
| 1971 | 3 | No. 466 |
| 1970 | 4 | No. 396 |
| 1968 | 6 | No. 307 |
| 1967 | 9 | No. 246 |
| 1966 | 7 | No. 276 |
| 1964 | 3 | No. 372 |
Catriona in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Catriona, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- AAilm, pine
- TTinne, holly
- RRuis, elder
- IIodhadh, yew
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- AAilm, pine
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Karan
Questions about Karan
- What is the closest Irish name to Karan?
- Karan is an Indian boy’s name from Sanskrit; in Ireland it was given to girls as a spelling of Karen, a Danish short form of Katherine. Catriona, the Irish form of Katherine, is the closest Irish name. Catriona is pronounced ka-TREE-na.
- How do you pronounce Catriona?
- Catriona is pronounced ka-TREE-na, with three syllables and the stress on the second.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA60 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Behind the Name, Wikipedia and Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923). How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com