using checked function to verify value against an array

OK Try the below

    $current = get_user_meta($user_id, 'continent', $true);
    $categories = get_categories( $args );

    foreach ( $categories as $category ){
?>
    <label><input type="checkbox" id="type-<?php echo $category->name; ?>" value="<?php echo $category->name; ?>" class="shopping" name="top_level[]"  <?php checked($category->name, $current);  ?>><?php echo $category->name; ?> </label>
  <?php  
    }

If $current = get_user_meta($user_id, 'continent', $true); value is an array then try the below
UPDATED for array

    foreach ( $categories as $category ){
?>
    <label><input type="checkbox" id="type-<?php echo $category->name; ?>" value="<?php echo $category->name; ?>" class="shopping" name="top_level[]"  <?php if(in_array($category->name, $current)){ echo 'checked="checked"';}  ?>><?php echo $category->name; ?> </label>
  <?php  
    }

From your comment I see you used this <?php checked('. $category->name . ', $current, false); ?> false shouldn’t be there as it won’t echo the checked string instead it return the checked string.

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