Sorry, Karen — You’re Still Losing
Jul 1, 2026, 7:35 AM | Updated: 10:09 am
Well, this one stings a little.
A new survey by Talker Research confirms what the internet has been saying for years: Karen is the most judged first name in America. And honestly? We feel bad for the actual Karens out there just trying to live their lives.
Coming in behind Karen are Chad, Donald, John and Damien — rounding out the top five most judged names.
Look, if your name is Karen, we see you. You did not ask for this. You were just a baby once, completely innocent, and then 2018 happened.
And Damien? Sweetie, that’s just The Omen’s fault. Not yours.
The survey highlights how much weight we put on a name before we even meet a person — which, as a mom of kids navigating middle school drama, feels very on brand for humanity right now. We literally judge everything.
The good news? Names go through cycles. Remember when “Karen” was just a perfectly nice name your aunt had?
It’ll come back around.
Until then, if you’re a Karen in the Denver metro area, just know KOSI 101.1 is playing your favorite feel-good hits and we are absolutely not judging you.
Probably.
