Colleen is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Colleen means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Colleen across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Colleen has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Colleen is a girl name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “girl”. from the Irish word cailín.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 163,084 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 230 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 509 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 199 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 481 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,367 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 Colleen per year, United States (1901 to 2025). United States peaked in 1964 (4,560/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1986 (31/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (30/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1984 (25/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (21/yr).
Colleen has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1964, when it ranked #179 nationally (given to 4,560 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1960s.
Colin · Collin · Callan · Kellen · Coleen · Cullen · Callen
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