Colleen
From the word colleen, from Irish cailín (“girl”), not used as a name in Ireland.
Every Colleen since 1901 — 163,084 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Colleen
Colleen is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,829 in 2025 with 60 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1901, 163,084 American babies have been named Colleen. Its peak came in 1964, when 4,560 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Colleen stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Colleen year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2,829 | — | — |
| 2024 | 60 | #2,803 | — | — |
| 2023 | 83 | #2,246 | — | — |
| 2022 | 60 | #2,827 | — | — |
| 2021 | 65 | #2,648 | — | — |
| 2020 | 65 | #2,603 | — | — |
| 2019 | 95 | #2,015 | — | — |
| 2018 | 89 | #2,134 | — | — |
| 2017 | 104 | #1,932 | — | — |
| 2016 | 102 | #1,961 | — | — |
| 2015 | 115 | #1,816 | — | — |
| 2014 | 116 | #1,775 | — | — |
| 2013 | 149 | #1,489 | — | — |
| 2012 | 148 | #1,504 | — | — |
| 2011 | 154 | #1,458 | — | — |
| 2010 | 202 | #1,198 | — | — |
| 2009 | 215 | #1,167 | — | — |
| 2008 | 226 | #1,138 | — | — |
| 2007 | 244 | #1,078 | — | — |
| 2006 | 296 | #897 | — | — |
| 2005 | 340 | #775 | 6 | #10,345 |
| 2004 | 382 | #702 | — | — |
| 2003 | 433 | #620 | — | — |
| 2002 | 500 | #548 | — | — |
| 2001 | 636 | #439 | — | — |
| 2000 | 609 | #455 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,257 | #224 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,808 | #160 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1,954 | #150 | 15 | #3,099 |
| 1980 | 2,125 | #137 | 14 | #3,125 |
| 1975 | 2,100 | #133 | 11 | #3,280 |
| 1970 | 3,325 | #117 | 13 | #2,645 |
| 1965 | 4,028 | #93 | 11 | #2,500 |
| 1960 | 4,450 | #107 | 7 | #3,395 |
| 1955 | 3,870 | #110 | — | — |
| 1950 | 2,619 | #124 | — | — |
| 1945 | 812 | #233 | 5 | #3,404 |
| 1940 | 648 | #249 | — | — |
| 1935 | 672 | #242 | — | — |
| 1930 | 946 | #201 | — | — |
| 1925 | 696 | #252 | — | — |
| 1920 | 79 | #818 | — | — |
| 1915 | 52 | #917 | — | — |
| 1910 | 13 | #1,278 | — | — |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,746 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Colleen
- Colleen McCullough Writer · 1937–2015
- Colleen Dewhurst Actor · 1924–1991
- Colleen Camp Actor · b. 1953
- Colleen Atwood Designer · b. 1948
- Colleen Moore Actor · 1899–1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Colleen mean?
From the word colleen, from Irish cailín (“girl”), not used as a name in Ireland.
How popular is the name Colleen in 2025?
Colleen ranked #2,829 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 60 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Colleen?
163,084 babies have been named Colleen in the United States since 1901, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Colleen most popular?
Colleen peaked in 1964, when 4,560 newborns received the name.
Is Colleen a boy or girl name?
Colleen is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Colleen rising or falling?
Colleen is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Colleen?
Well-known people named Colleen include Colleen McCullough (writer), Colleen Dewhurst (actor), Colleen Camp (actor).