Colleen Girl

Popularity: #888 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

CaitlinKatherineKylieCarolineClaireCassandra

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.

KatherineCaitlinKylieCorinneCarmenCeliaCora

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Colleen was first seen in the United States in 1901.

Colleen has ranked as high as #179 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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 60 0 60
2024 60 0 60
2023 83 0 83
2022 60 0 60
2021 65 0 65
2020 65 0 65
2019 95 0 95
2018 89 0 89
2017 104 0 104
2016 102 0 102
2015 115 0 115
2014 116 0 116
2013 149 0 149
2012 148 0 148
2011 154 0 154
2010 202 0 202
2009 215 0 215
2008 226 0 226
2007 244 0 244
2006 296 0 296
2005 346 6 340
2004 382 0 382
2003 433 0 433
2002 500 0 500
2001 636 0 636
2000 609 0 609
1999 690 0 690
1998 843 0 843
1997 1,002 0 1,002
1996 1,059 0 1,059
1995 1,257 0 1,257
1994 1,414 0 1,414
1993 1,585 0 1,585
1992 1,669 0 1,669
1991 1,600 0 1,600
1990 1,808 0 1,808
1989 1,821 12 1,809
1988 1,710 6 1,704
1987 1,756 9 1,747
1986 1,848 7 1,841
1985 1,969 15 1,954
1984 2,073 6 2,067
1983 2,017 9 2,008
1982 2,153 8 2,145
1981 2,076 8 2,068
1980 2,139 14 2,125
1979 2,146 11 2,135
1978 2,057 0 2,057
1977 2,006 8 1,998
1976 2,050 7 2,043
1975 2,111 11 2,100
1974 2,354 10 2,344
1973 2,313 6 2,307
1972 2,513 10 2,503
1971 2,957 10 2,947
1970 3,338 13 3,325
1969 3,421 11 3,410
1968 3,491 6 3,485
1967 3,628 7 3,621
1966 3,759 13 3,746
1965 4,039 11 4,028
1964 4,560 14 4,546
1963 4,455 8 4,447
1962 4,425 0 4,425
1961 4,527 12 4,515
1960 4,457 7 4,450
1959 4,343 6 4,337
1958 3,929 7 3,922
1957 3,898 6 3,892
1956 3,902 5 3,897
1955 3,870 0 3,870
1954 3,483 0 3,483
1953 3,383 8 3,375
1952 3,470 0 3,470
1951 3,048 0 3,048
1950 2,619 0 2,619
1949 2,032 0 2,032
1948 1,783 0 1,783
1947 1,267 0 1,267
1946 1,093 0 1,093
1945 817 5 812
1944 724 0 724
1943 768 0 768
1942 745 0 745
1941 601 0 601
1940 648 0 648
1939 665 0 665
1938 697 0 697
1937 740 0 740
1936 853 0 853
1935 672 0 672
1934 719 7 712
1933 679 5 674
1932 709 0 709
1931 760 0 760
1930 946 0 946
1929 1,067 0 1,067
1928 1,099 0 1,099
1927 1,068 6 1,062
1926 945 0 945
1925 696 0 696
1924 524 0 524
1923 311 0 311
1922 185 0 185
1921 112 0 112
1920 79 0 79
1919 46 0 46
1918 68 0 68
1917 69 0 69
1916 65 0 65
1915 52 0 52
1914 33 0 33
1913 26 0 26
1912 28 0 28
1911 13 0 13
1910 13 0 13
1909 18 0 18
1908 13 0 13
1907 10 0 10
1906 5 0 5
1905 6 0 6
1904 9 0 9
1903 5 0 5
1901 6 0 6

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 8
42%
CA 6
32%
PA 5
26%