Colin
How to say it: KOH-lin · /ˈkoʊlɪn/
Scottish diminutive of 'Col' (Nicholas) or from Irish Gaelic 'coilean' meaning 'whelp' or 'young dog'.
Colin was the 244th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 950 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are down about 59% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #297 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #244 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 950 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,070 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | −59% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #297 |
| In France, 2025 | #334 among boys’ names, 140 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once highest in the 2000s, Colin has since fallen well under that level. More slipping is likely ahead.
What goes with it
Crisp yet soft in two syllables, Colin feels calm and easy. Col serves as its nickname and Declan aligns in style.
Middle names that flow with Colin →
Nicknames
- Col
Honouring a Colin in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Colin is about 1 in 87.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Irish, Norwegian, Swedish, Welsh.
In France: #334 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #353.
Famous people named Colin
- Colin Firth (born 1960)English actor and producer
- Colin Farrell (born 1976)Irish actor
- Colin Powell (1937–2021)American general and diplomat
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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