Colin

Meaning of Colin

It's a short form of Nicholas, meaning 'victory of the people'. It can also be linked to the Irish word 'coileán', meaning 'whelp' or 'pup'.

Colin has Irish, Scottish roots — browse every Irish, Scottish baby name in our catalog.

Popularity of Colin

Colin has held fairly steady, sitting around #343 in 2025 after peaking at #85 in 2004.

Notable people named Colin

• Colin Farrell
  Irish actor, known for films
• Colin Firth
  Award-winning British actor
• Colin Powell
  US General, former Secretary of State
• Colin Kaepernick
  Former NFL player, activist
• Colin Hanks
  American actor, Tom Hanks' son

Questions about the name Colin

What does the name Colin mean?

Colin means it's a short form of nicholas, meaning 'victory of the people'. it can also be linked to the irish word 'coileán', meaning 'whelp' or 'pup', and it comes from Irish, Scottish origins.

Is Colin a boy's or a girl's name?

Colin is most commonly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is the name Colin?

In 2025, Colin ranked #343 for boys, down from #334 the year before.

When was Colin most popular?

Colin peaked at #85 in 2004.