Colin
Boy nameColin has been given to 134,151 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 2004 and currently ranks #343 for boys (2025).
Meaning & origin /ˈkɒlɪn/
Diminutive of Coll, a medieval short form of Nicholas. It has also been used to anglicize Irish Coileán and Scottish Gaelic Cailean.
Origin: Ancient Greek
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
134,151
Peak year
2004 (5,147 babies)
Rank in 2025
#343 for boys
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▼ -61%
Gender split
0% girls / 100% boys
Famous people named Colin
Colin Powell
American general and diplomat (1937–2021)
Colin Firth
English actor and producer
Colin Farrell
Irish actor (born 1976)
Colin MacLaurin
Scottish mathematician (1698–1746)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Colin.
Get new name insights first
Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.