Colleen as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Colleen

What is the meaning of the name Colleen ?

The baby name Colleen is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /kəˈliːn/ (kuh-LEEN).

Colleen is Irish in Origin.

Colleen is an Anglicized given name taken from the Irish word cailín, meaning “girl” or “young woman.” The noun combines caile “woman” with the diminutive -ín, literally “little woman/maiden.” It was not a traditional Gaelic personal name; rather, English speakers - especially in Irish communities - adopted it as a first name. The term was familiar in 19th‑century literature and theater (notably The Colleen Bawn), and the name saw broad popularity across the English‑speaking world in the mid‑20th century, particularly in the United States and Canada. Today it feels vintage-Irish yet approachable.

Variant spellings include Coleen, Colene, Collene, and Koleen; the Irish lexical form is Cailín. Nicknames such as Col, Collie, and Leenie occur. Colleen is sometimes mistaken for the unrelated Irish Caoilfhionn (often Anglicized Keelin). With its clear meaning of “lass” or “maiden,” Colleen carries a friendly, straightforward Irish charm.