Karee
Searsia lancea commonly known as karee, is an evergreen, frost hardy, drought resistant tree, which can reach up to 8 metres (26 ft) in height with a 5-metre (16 ft) spread. It is one of the most common trees on the Highveld and in the Bushveld in South Africa, but not found in the Lowveld. In North America, where it is naturalised, it is known as African sumac and willow rhus.
Meaning & Origin of Karee
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Searsia lancea commonly known as karee, is an evergreen, frost hardy, drought resistant tree, which can reach up to 8 metres (26 ft) in height with a 5-metre (16 ft) spread. It is one of the most common trees on the Highveld and in the Bushveld in South Africa, but not found in the Lowveld. In North America, where it is naturalised, it is known as African sumac and willow rhus.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Karee
As a girl name
Karee first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1953, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 55 Karees were born — ranking #1,435 that year. As of 2026, Karee ranks #13,792 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 756 Karees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Karee first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1984, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 9 Karees were born — ranking #5,981 that year. As of 2026, Karee ranks #12,323 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 85 Karees have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Karee
Phonetically similar names — useful when Karee is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Karee
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About the name Karee
Karee is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1953 and has accumulated 756 births in the dataset. Karee's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #1,435. Use the chart and map above to compare Karee's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.