Karsten

Meaning of Karsten

Karsten, a masculine appellation of Germanic origin, derives from the Old High German adaptation of the Latin Christianus—signifying “follower of Christ”—and occupies a venerable position within Northern European onomastic traditions. Its phonetic rendering in German, /ˈkaʁstən/, has been incorporated into English usage with only minimal modification, facilitating its transposition across linguistic contexts. In the United States, Karsten has maintained a moderate yet consistent presence in Social Security name registries, oscillating between the 800th and 900th ranks over the past decade; in 2024 it appeared 28 times, attaining the 896th position among male given names. Such sustained but measured utilization reflects a broader cultural disposition toward names that harmonize historical depth with contemporary distinctiveness, rendering Karsten an exemplar of modern naming practices that honor lineage while preserving individual subtlety.