Aileen
How to say it: eye-LEEN · /aɪˈlin/
Irish Gaelic form of Helen or Evelyn, from Greek 'helene' meaning 'torch' or 'light'.
Aileen was the 192nd most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 340 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are down about 14% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #174 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #192 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 340 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,771 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | −14% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #174 |
| In France, 2025 | #273 among girls’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Rooted early in the century, Aileen peaked in the 1920s and has stayed in good use. Close to that historic level now, it should rise a bit more.
What goes with it
The eye LEEN sound runs soft and luminous, with a gentle quality tied to sky and light. Isla pairs nicely.
Nicknames
- Ailie
- Lee
- Leeny
Honouring a Aileen in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Aileen is about 1 in 74.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish, Scottish Gaelic.
In France: #273 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Aileen
- Aileen Quinn (born 1971)American actress, singer and dancer
- Aileen Baviera (1959–2020)Filipino sinologist
- Aileen Riggin (1906–2002)American diver, swimmer, Olympic gold medalist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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