Colleen Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KOH-leen //ˈkɔːliːn//
Origin: Irish; Gaelic
Meaning: Irish: 'girl'; Gaelic: 'young girl'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Colleen has its roots in the Irish language, derived from the Gaelic word "cailín," which means "girl" or "young woman." This term has been used in Ireland for centuries, reflecting a cultural significance tied to youth and femininity. The transition of the name into English occurred through the influence of Irish immigrants and the broader dissemination of Irish culture, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries, as the Irish diaspora spread across the globe, especially to the United States and Britain.
Historically, the name Colleen gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly through literary and artistic representations. One notable milestone was the publication of the poem "Colleen Bawn" by the Irish playwright Dion Boucicault in the mid-19th century, which helped to popularize the name in both Ireland and among Irish communities abroad.
The character of Colleen Bawn, a young woman caught in a tragic love story, resonated with audiences and contributed to the romanticized image of the name. Culturally, Colleen has been associated with notions of beauty, innocence, and youthfulness, often evoking a sense of nostalgia for traditional Irish values and the pastoral landscape of Ireland.
The name has been embraced in various forms of art and literature, symbolizing a connection to Irish heritage. While diminutive forms such as "Collie" or affectionate variations may exist, the name Colleen itself stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Irish linguistic and cultural identity.
Famous people named Colleen
In this section, you will find notable people named Colleen. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Colleen who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Colleen who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Colleen Atwood is a costume designer best known for Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Alice in Wonderland.
Colleen Dewhurst was an actress best known for Anne of Green Gables, The Last Picture Show, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
Colleen Haskell is a television personality best known for Survivor: Borneo and The Early Show.
Colleen Ballinger is a comedian and actress best known for her character Miranda Sings, Haters Back Off, and her YouTube channel.
Fictional characters named Colleen
The following list of fictional characters named Colleen is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Colleen is a fictional character from the animated series The Magic School Bus. She is a student in Ms. Frizzle's class who often participates in the educational adventures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Colleen, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Colleen. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Colleen was first seen in the United States in 1901.
Colleen has ranked as high as #178 nationally, which occurred in 1964, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and Michigan.
In the past 5 years the name Colleen has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Colleen is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Colleen was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Colleen (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 8 | |
| CA | 6 | |
| PA | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Colleen.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 60 |
| 2023 | 83 |
| 2022 | 60 |
| 2021 | 65 |
| 2020 | 65 |
| 2019 | 95 |
| 2018 | 89 |
| 2017 | 104 |
| 2016 | 102 |
| 2015 | 115 |
| 2014 | 116 |
| 2013 | 149 |
| 2012 | 148 |
| 2011 | 154 |
| 2010 | 202 |
| 2009 | 215 |
| 2008 | 226 |
| 2007 | 244 |
| 2006 | 296 |
| 2005 | 340 |
| 2004 | 382 |
| 2003 | 433 |
| 2002 | 500 |
| 2001 | 636 |
| 2000 | 609 |
| 1999 | 690 |
| 1998 | 843 |
| 1997 | 1,003 |
| 1996 | 1,059 |
| 1995 | 1,257 |
| 1994 | 1,415 |
| 1993 | 1,585 |
| 1992 | 1,669 |
| 1991 | 1,600 |
| 1990 | 1,808 |
| 1989 | 1,809 |
| 1988 | 1,704 |
| 1987 | 1,747 |
| 1986 | 1,841 |
| 1985 | 1,955 |
| 1984 | 2,067 |
| 1983 | 2,009 |
| 1982 | 2,145 |
| 1981 | 2,068 |
| 1980 | 2,125 |
| 1979 | 2,135 |
| 1978 | 2,057 |
| 1977 | 1,998 |
| 1976 | 2,043 |
| 1975 | 2,100 |
| 1974 | 2,344 |
| 1973 | 2,307 |
| 1972 | 2,503 |
| 1971 | 2,948 |
| 1970 | 3,326 |
| 1969 | 3,411 |
| 1968 | 3,485 |
| 1967 | 3,621 |
| 1966 | 3,746 |
| 1965 | 4,029 |
| 1964 | 4,544 |
| 1963 | 4,447 |
| 1962 | 4,425 |
| 1961 | 4,516 |
| 1960 | 4,449 |
| 1959 | 4,336 |
| 1958 | 3,923 |
| 1957 | 3,892 |
| 1956 | 3,896 |
| 1955 | 3,870 |
| 1954 | 3,483 |
| 1953 | 3,375 |
| 1952 | 3,471 |
| 1951 | 3,048 |
| 1950 | 2,619 |
| 1949 | 2,032 |
| 1948 | 1,783 |
| 1947 | 1,267 |
| 1946 | 1,093 |
| 1945 | 812 |
| 1944 | 724 |
| 1943 | 768 |
| 1942 | 744 |
| 1941 | 601 |
| 1940 | 648 |
| 1939 | 665 |
| 1938 | 697 |
| 1937 | 740 |
| 1936 | 853 |
| 1935 | 672 |
| 1934 | 712 |
| 1933 | 674 |
| 1932 | 709 |
| 1931 | 760 |
| 1930 | 946 |
| 1929 | 1,067 |
| 1928 | 1,099 |
| 1927 | 1,062 |
| 1926 | 945 |
| 1925 | 696 |
| 1924 | 524 |
| 1923 | 311 |
| 1922 | 185 |
| 1921 | 112 |
| 1920 | 79 |
| 1919 | 46 |
| 1918 | 68 |
| 1917 | 69 |
| 1916 | 65 |
| 1915 | 52 |
| 1914 | 33 |
| 1913 | 26 |
| 1912 | 28 |
| 1911 | 13 |
| 1910 | 13 |
| 1909 | 18 |
| 1908 | 13 |
| 1907 | 10 |
| 1906 | 5 |
| 1905 | 6 |
| 1904 | 9 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1901 | 6 |