Given name & surname
Collette
“of the victorious people”
Collette is a variant of Colette. One French interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Collette is a variant of Colette. One French interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Collette is a variant of Colette. An origin associated with Colette is French.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Collette is used as a spelling variant of Colette.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1898. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Collette is a variant of Colette. The history of Colette gives this family its wider story. The novelist Colette helped give the name wider currency from the 1920s onward. Colette’s formation has more than one route: it can shorten Nicolette or develop from the medieval name Col or Colle.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Collette through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,672
- 0 boys · 7,672 girls
- Most popular year
- 1966
- 189 babies
- 2025
- 82
- #2,243 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 82 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,243 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 189 in 1966. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,508 as a first name in 2020; 4,748 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.
Collette’s family of names
In English usage, Collette as a surname developed from Coll. Collette has an alternative spelling in Colette. Collette has a related form in Colette.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Collette
- Collette WolfeAmerican actressborn 1980
- Collette McCallumAustralian association football playerborn 1986
- Collette LyonsAmerican actress (1908-1986)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Collette, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Colleen
“a young peasant girl”
>99% girls
Josette
“God will add”
>99% girls
Lynette
“a beautiful maiden; resembling a songbird”
>99% girls
Evette
“giver of life; a lively woman”
>99% girls
Yvette
“a young archer”
>99% girls
Kellie
“a warrior” · “one who defends”
>99% girls
Suzette
“resembling a graceful white lily”
>99% girls
Charlette
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls