Colin is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Colin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Colin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Colin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Colin is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, linked to victory”. a medieval pet form of Nicholas.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 134,151 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,295 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8,758 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 162 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 6,714 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,980 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Colin per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2004 (5,147/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (634/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1984 (269/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (79/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (24/yr).
Colin has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2004, when it ranked #144 nationally (given to 5,338 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2000s.
Colleen · Collin · Callan · Kylian · Kaylin · Coleen · Cullen · Callen
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