Kari (name)

Last updated June 12, 2025

Kari is either a male or female given name, or a surname.

Given name

In Finland, Kari is a male name, which was particularly popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The name is derived from the Greek Makarios (or Macarius).

In Norway, Kari is a female name. The name is diminutive of Katherine, meaning "pure". The corresponding Swedish and German name is Karin.

In Iceland and Faroe Islands, Kári is a male name, based on a Scandinavian god of wind of the same name. The corresponding Norwegian male name is Kåre.

Surname

Kari is a popular surname in South India. In Andhra Pradesh the village of Karivari Palem is named after the surname; in the village Inkollu, Gangavaram almost 60% families have this surname and belongs to Kamma/Chowdary caste. Kari can also be spelt Kahri.

Kari is also a Finnish surname, meaning a small island, islet, or an underwater rock. There are currently 2 173 holders of the name (2025).^[1]

Notable people named Kari

Females with the given name

Kari Aas (1886–1978), Norwegian teacher and Scout leader
Kari Anderson (born 1982), Scottish cricketer
Kari Bøge (born 1950), Norwegian author
Kari Bremnes (born 1956), Norwegian singer
Kari Byron (born 1974), American television host and artist
Kari Corbett (born 1984), Scottish actress
Kari Diesen (1914–1987), Norwegian singer and actress
Kari Dolan, American politician
Kari Dziedzic (1962–2024), American politician
Kari Faux (born 1992), American rapper and singer, born Kari Rose Johnson
Kari Aalvik Grimsbø (born 1985), Norwegian handball player
Kari Jobe (born 1981), American singer
Kari Kjønaas Kjos (born 1962), Norwegian politician
Kari Mette Johansen (born 1979), Norwegian handball player
Kari Ann Lake (born 1969), American politician and former television news anchor
Kari Matchett (born 1970), Canadian actress
Kari Nissena, American actress
Kari Ann Peniche (born 1984), American model
Kari Rueslåtten (born 1973), Norwegian singer
Kari Storækre (born 1950), Norwegian television personality
Kari Swenson (born 1962), American biathlete
Kari Sylwan (born 1940), Swedish actress, ballerina and choreographer
Kari Tauring (born 1966), American folk singer, author, and teacher
Kari Traa (born 1974), Norwegian skier
Kari Wahlgren (born 1977), American voice actress
Kari Wuhrer (born 1967), American actress

Males with the given name

Kari Arkivuo (born 1983), Finnish footballer
Kari Aronpuro (born 1940), Finnish poet
Kari Eloranta (born 1956), Finnish footballer and ice hockey player
Kari Enqvist (born 1954), Finnish physicist and writer
Kari Hotakainen (born 1957), Finnish writer
Kári P. Højgaard (born 1951), Faroese politician
Kari Häkämies (born 1956), Finnish politician
Kari Härkönen (born 1959), Finnish skier
Kari Jalonen (born 1960), Finnish ice hockey coach
Kari Kairamo (1932–1988), former CEO of Nokia
Kari Ketonen (born 1971), Finnish actor
Kari Korhonen (born 1973), Finnish cartoonist
Kari Korhonen (born 1943), Finnish mycologist
Kari Kriikku (born 1960), Finnish clarinet player
Kari Kuivalainen (born 1960), Finnish musician
Kari Lehtola (1938–2019), Finnish major accident investigator
Kari Lehtonen (born 1983), Finnish ice hockey goaltender
Kari Makkonen (born 1955), Finnish ice hockey player
Kari Mannerla (1930–2006), Finnish game designer
Kari Mäkinen (born 1955), Archbishop of Turku
Kari Peitsamo (born 1957), Finnish musician
Kari Rajamäki (born 1948), Finnish politician
Kari Ristanen (born 1958), Finnish skier
Kári Stefánsson (born 1949), Icelandic founder of deCODE genetics
Kari Suomalainen (1920–1999), Finnish cartoonist
Kari Takko (born 1962), Finnish ice hockey goaltender
Kari Tapio (1945–2010), Finnish singer
Kari Tiainen (born 1966), Finnish motorcycle rider
Kari S. Tikka (1944–2006), Finnish legal scholar
Kari Turunen (born 1962), Finnish musician
Kari Ukkonen (born 1961), Finnish footballer
Kari Uotila (1955), Finnish politician
Kari Väänänen (1953), Finnish actor and director
Kari Ylianttila (1953), Finnish ski-jumper

People with the surname

Dagur Kári (born 1973), Icelandic filmmaker
Jarkko Kari (born 1964), Finnish mathematician
Martti J. Kari (1960–2023), Finnish military officer and academic
Mika Kari (born 1967), Finnish politician
Sax Kari (born Isaac Toombs, 1920–2009), American R&B musician and promoter
Tamla Kari (born 1988), British actress
Tommi Kari (born 1986), Finnish footballer

People with the nickname

Sundaram Karivardhan (1954–1995), Indian motor sports promoter

Fictional and mythological characters

Kári, son of Fornjót, the personification of wind in Norse mythology
Kari Grandi, Finnish advertising character
Hikari "Kari" Kamiya, a character in Digimon media
Kari Nordmann, Norwegian placeholder name
Kari Sorjonen, main character in Bordertown, a Finnish crime drama TV series

References

↑ "Kari: Sukunimi-info".

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[1] "Kari: Sukunimi-info".

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