Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Colin
“high”·“of the victorious people”
In English use, Colin is a diminutive of Coll. One Celtic interpretation is “high.” Colin is an affectionate form of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Colin is a diminutive of Coll. One Celtic interpretation is “high.” Colin is an affectionate form of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scottish.
How it developed
In English usage, Colin is a diminutive of Nicholas. Colin is an affectionate form of Nicholas.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Colin is an affectionate form of Nicholas. The history of Nicholas gives this family its wider story. Nicholas’s Christian associations include Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra in Lycia, about whom virtually nothing factual is known.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Colin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 134,151
- 133,706 boys · 445 girls
- Most popular year
- 2004
- 5,147 babies
- 2025
- 950
- #343 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 950 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 343 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 29.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 5,122 in 2004. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (88). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 123,025 as a first name in 2020; 7,617 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Colin’s family of names
In English usage, Colin is a diminutive of Nicholas. Colin has a feminine form in Colina. In English usage, Colin has a related form in Collin.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Colin has relatives in 6 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
14 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 18
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Colin
- Colin PowellAmerican general and diplomat (1937–2021)
- Colin FirthEnglish actor and producerborn 1960
- Colin FarrellIrish actor (born 1976)
- Colin MaclaurinScottish mathematician (1698–1746)
- Colin McRaeBritish racing driver (1968–2007)
- Colin MorganNorthern Irish actorborn 1986
- Colin HanksAmerican actor (born 1977)
- Colin GreenwoodBass player for rock band Radiohead.Bass player for Nick Cave and the Bad Seed.born 1969
- Colin KaepernickAmerican football player (born 1987)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Colin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Duncan
“a dark warrior”
>99% boys
Trevor
“from the large village”
>99% boys
Malcolm
“devotee of St Columba” · “dove”
>99% boys
Gavin
“a little white falcon”
>99% boys
Oscar
“a spear of the gods” · “a friend of deer”
>99% boys
Connor
“lover of hounds” · “a wolf-lover”
>99% boys
Aidan
“one who is fiery; little fire” · “a fiery young man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Tristan
Tristan is used as a given name and a surname. One Celtic interpretation is “a sorrowful man; in Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table.”
98% boys · 2% girls