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Colin as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Colin

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The baby name Colin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkɒlɪn/ (British), /ˈkɑlɪn/ (American) — KOL-in.

Colin is Irish in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: /ˈkɒlɪn/ (British), /ˈkɑlɪn/ (American) — KOL-in

What is the meaning of the name Colin ?

The baby name Colin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkɒlɪn/ (British), /ˈkɑlɪn/ (American) — KOL-in.

Colin is Irish in Origin.

Colin carries two intertwined origins. In medieval French and Middle English it was a diminutive of Nicholas (via the pet form Col + the suffix -in), yielding the sense “victory of the people” from Greek nikē + laos. In the Gaelic world it also serves as the Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Cailean and Irish Coileán, words linked to “whelp” or “young pup,” a youthful epithet used for boys and young warriors. The name appears in early Scotland with the Campbells - note Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll - and in English literature as Spenser’s pastoral persona Colin Clout.

Variants include Collin and the medieval Colyn; Scottish Gaelic Cailean and Irish Cóilín/Coileán correspond in Celtic contexts, while French Colin persists with a distinct pronunciation. Related short forms are Col and Cole. Usage rose in the UK and North America in the late 20th century and today feels like a steady, approachable classic.

Colin has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Colin

Colin Powell Politician · Born 1937 · United States Colin Powell was a prominent American politician and military leader, best known for serving as the United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He played a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the early 2000s, particularly in the context of the Iraq War. Before his tenure as Secretary of State, he was the first African American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Firth Actor · Born 1960 · Italy Colin Firth is an English actor best known for his role as Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'. He won an Academy Award for his performance in 'The King's Speech', where he portrayed King George VI. Firth has also starred in films like 'Bridget Jones's Diary' and 'Love Actually'. Colin Farrell Actor|musician · Born 1976 · Ireland Colin Farrell is an Irish actor known for his roles in films like 'In Bruges', 'The Lobster', and 'Phone Booth'. He gained fame for his versatile performances and has been a prominent figure in the film industry since the early 2000s.
Colin Morgan Actor · Born 1986 · United Kingdom Colin Morgan is a talented actor from the United Kingdom, best known for his role as Merlin in the television series 'Merlin'. He has also appeared in other notable works like 'The Fall' and 'Humans'. Born in 1986, Colin has captivated audiences with his compelling performances on both screen and stage. Colin Ford Actor · Born 1996 · United States Colin Ford is an American actor best known for his role as Joe McAlister in the TV series Under the Dome. He also voiced the character of Jake in the animated series Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Born in 1996, Colin has been acting since childhood and continues to work in film and television. Colin Salmon Actor · Born 1962 · United Kingdom Colin Salmon is a British actor best known for his role as Charles Robinson in the James Bond films 'Tomorrow Never Dies', 'The World Is Not Enough', and 'Die Another Day'. He has also appeared in popular TV series like 'Arrow' and 'Limitless'.

Celebrity babies named Colin

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Colin Hanks Tom Hanks television actor

Colin – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
Germany Boys 2025 #1 423
KH Boys 0 #9 1 270
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
HT Girls 0 #21 3 950
NA 0 #28 6 2,537
HT Boys 0 #32 3 903
MD 0 #34 1 434
MT 0 #41 3 1,767
MO 0 #49 4 2,706
Sweden Boys 2022 #57 195 1,509
CY 0 #59 2 1,632
CN 0 #63 23 3,857
LU 0 #63 4 2,830
JP 0 #73 5 4,057
JM 0 #74 14 3,714
AL 0 #75 2 2,372
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
Switzerland Boys 2024 #81 57 1,769
Norway Boys 2025 #90 49 444
QA 0 #91 10 7,011
TW 0 #100 4 4,523
CY Boys 0 #103 27 3,473
OM 0 #104 13 6,215
PH 0 #106 5 5,607
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
MT Boys 0 #123 55 4,064
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
BN Boys 0 #136 4 6,332
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
Belgium Boys 2024 #141 48 401
CN Boys 0 #144 223 9,639
CR 0 #149 10 5,526
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
AE 0 #155 23 10,220
JM Boys 0 #163 116 6,876
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
SG 0 #176 94 11,010
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
CZ 0 #182 5 3,154
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
TW Boys 0 #193 49 7,111
Canada Boys 2024 #201 108 2,588
NA Boys 0 #203 33 6,830
DK 0 #204 3 5,198
MO Boys 0 #204 20 5,842
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
LU Boys 0 #216 5 4,970
BG Boys 0 #218 3 3,850
PS 0 #222 5 5,692
ZA 0 #225 228 14,421
IR 0 #228 4 4,221
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
ZA Boys 0 #240 2,619 25,619
SG Boys 0 #244 665 17,960
EC Boys 0 #245 2 3,322
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
HR Boys 0 #257 3 3,997
HK Boys 0 #260 389 12,905
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
GR Boys 0 #269 5 6,912
NG 0 #270 3 5,926
IL 0 #277 6 6,291
JP Boys 0 #279 19 7,909
HK 0 #280 69 8,483
MY 0 #281 50 12,352
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
CZ Boys 0 #290 15 6,530
KZ Boys 0 #291 6 6,578
France Boys 2021 #294 96 2,865
AL Boys 0 #299 5 5,122
NL Boys 0 #305 1,195 5,873
United States Boys 2024 #306 1,035 7,044
SA 0 #306 7 10,560
DK Boys 0 #316 10 7,401
NL 0 #331 61 2,481
PL Boys 0 #332 9 6,459
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
PT Boys 0 #341 27 7,951
QA Girls 0 #342 2 15,378
MU Boys 0 #344 14 8,477
CN Girls 0 #356 4 8,829
GH Boys 0 #357 5 8,138
MU Girls 0 #358 5 8,539
PH Boys 0 #361 23 11,440
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
BO 0 #407 2 6,868
Austria Boys 0 #408 35 2,180
Germany 0 #411 27 2,542
EG 0 #411 2 6,387
UY Boys 0 #412 2 5,922
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
PH Girls 0 #424 6 13,098
Spain 0 #428 25 2,326
CL 0 #433 2 6,867
CR Boys 0 #433 55 10,188
MX 0 #441 5 8,339
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
AR Boys 0 #482 2 7,628
RU Boys 0 #490 16 12,621
GT Boys 0 #495 5 7,625
Finland Boys 2026 #499 201 3,552
PA Boys 0 #500 6 9,305
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
CM Boys 0 #526 25 12,054
BH 0 #533 21 17,937
PS Boys 0 #536 13 10,655
IR Boys 0 #537 16 10,162
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
KW Girls 0 #557 5 19,177
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
Germany Boys 0 #569 445 5,697
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
SG Girls 0 #577 10 18,916
IL Boys 0 #587 21 10,983
AE Girls 0 #594 4 20,968
HK Girls 0 #599 17 16,104
BD Boys 0 #600 6 10,045
BO Boys 0 #616 7 9,244
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
IL Girls 0 #643 3 11,648
CL Boys 0 #646 20 13,390
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
QA Boys 0 #665 43 18,093
LB 0 #685 6 13,263
IT 0 #692 23 4,183
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
MY Boys 0 #726 413 25,439
Spain Boys 0 #732 202 5,610
KW Boys 0 #745 25 18,755
BR Boys 0 #780 6 12,213
NG Girls 0 #824 3 15,093
OM Boys 0 #836 46 17,948
CL Girls 0 #841 11 14,098
PE Boys 0 #855 24 14,506
TN 0 #861 5 13,765
CO Boys 0 #888 33 15,656
NG Boys 0 #913 39 16,906
United States Girls 2021 #916 5 8,741
EG Boys 0 #919 7 15,035
MX Boys 0 #931 52 16,355
MY Girls 0 #949 46 24,821
AE Boys 0 #980 113 22,615
IN Boys 0 #988 14 16,750
SA Girls 0 #1,006 9 25,931
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
ZA Girls 0 #1,109 33 25,928
MA 0 #1,119 10 20,986
CO Girls 0 #1,150 3 16,140
MX Girls 0 #1,167 17 17,781
TR 0 #1,169 43 19,440
DZ 0 #1,232 3 20,130
IT Boys 0 #1,318 154 10,046
IT Girls 0 #1,436 11 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,548 67 28,008

Colin is popular in 89 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Ireland
Scotland, United Kingdom
Norway
Canada

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People also ask about Colin

Colin is predominantly a boy's name.
Colin is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈkɒlɪn/ (British), /ˈkɑlɪn/ (American) — KOL-in.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Collin, Colen, Colyn, Kollin and Coilin.
Across languages, Colin has these equivalents: Nicolas (French), Nicolás (Spanish), Nicholas (English), Nico (diminutive), Caolán (Irish), and 1 more.
Yes, very popular — Colin ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 11 countries.
Colin ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Colin's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 17 notable people named Colin are in our database, including Colin Powell (Politician), Colin Firth (Actor), Colin Farrell (Actor|musician).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Colin for their child, including Tom Hanks.