Colin

Colin is a name with two different origins and meanings. It represents an English short form of the name Nikolaus and means 'victory of the people', derived from the Ancient Greek words nike for 'victory' and laos for 'people'. The original form of Colin is the Old French diminutive Colle of Nicolas.

What does the name Colin mean?

The name Colin has two different origins and meanings. On one hand, Colin is an English short form of Nikolaus and carries the meaning 'victory of the people', based on the Ancient Greek words nike ('victory') and laos ('people'). Additionally, Colin can be understood as an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Cuilen, which means 'puppy' and comes from the Old Irish cuilén. Colin is especially common in English-speaking countries such as Great Britain and Ireland, but it is also used in the USA and Canada. In Germany, Colin was not well-known for a long time, but it has established itself since the turn of the millennium and is now also not uncommon in the spelling Collin. A less common variant in Germany is Colín. Although the name also has French roots, it is more often used as a surname in France. In French, Colin also means 'pollock' and refers to a river in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

Where does the name Colin come from?

The origin of the name Colin is multifaceted. As a short form of Nicholas (English) and Nicolas (French), Colin is closely related to the name Nikolaus, which traces back to the Ancient Greek name Nikolaos. This is composed of the Ancient Greek words 'nike' for 'victory' and 'laos' for 'people'. Furthermore, Colin is an anglicized variant of the Gaelic name Cuilen, which derives from the Old Irish cuilén ('puppy, young dog'). The languages in which Colin appears include American English, Irish, Canadian, and Scottish.

How do you pronounce Colin?

The pronunciation of the name Colin is two syllables and soft. In German, it is usually pronounced as 'Co-lin' [ˈkoːlɪn], with the first syllable starting with a long, rounded 'o' that conveys openness. The short second syllable provides a clear conclusion. Overall, Colin sounds friendly and modern – harmonious, uncomplicated, and present.

When is the name day of Colin?

In its function as a derivation of Nikolaus, the name day of Colin is celebrated on December 6 to commemorate Saint Nicholas of Myra.

Popularity

Colin first appeared in German rankings in 1936, but remained relatively rare and only moderately popular for many years. Until the 1980s, Colin could not achieve a lasting position in the upper ranks, but was regularly found compared to other boy names. In the 1990s, Colin experienced a significant upswing and approached the more common first names, reaching its peak in the 2000s, particularly in 2009 with rank 44.

Nicknames & pet names

Coco / Cocolinchen / Coelin / Col / Cola / Cole / Coli / Colibri / Colichen / Colilein / Colilloli / Colinchen / Colinski / Coljin / Colkinkan / Colli / Collidinio / Colo / Colsi / Coolin / Couly / Cöggu / Cölu / Keule / Kohlin / Piccolini

Similar first names

Famous people

• Colin (character in 'The Secret Garden')
• Colin Anderson (rugby player from the USA)
• Colin Anthony Bruce Chapman (founder of the car brand Lotus)
• Colin Archer (1832–1921), Norwegian yacht and ship designer
• Colin Benjamin (football player)
• Colin Blunstone (singer (The Zombies))
• Colin Buchanan (Irish singer)
• Colin Buchanan (English actor)
• Colin Coates (Australian speed skater)
• Colin Cook (English cricketer)
• Colin Creevey (character in 'Harry Potter')
• Colin Curran (Australian footballer)
• Colin Dann (British author)
• Colin Dugmore (South African motocross racer)
• Colin Edwards (American motorcycle racer)
• Colin Farrell (actor)
• Colin Firth (actor)
• Colin Fleming (American race car driver)
• Colin Forbes (ice hockey player (Adler Mannheim))
• Colin Ford (actor)