Boy name · Scottish Gaelic
Colin
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: whelp, young dogColin is a boy's name that comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "whelp, young dog". It is used in English and Scottish.
- Meaning
- Whelp, young dog
- Origin
- Scottish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #343 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Colin
As a boy's name, Colin comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "whelp, young dog". It is used in English and Scottish.
In Scottish Gaelic, say KOL-in. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Colin is also a surname: the 4,529th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 7,617 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Colin on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Colin on 1 list.
“English spelling of Cailean: whelp, young dog. Say KOL-in.”
From Scottish boy names, highland names in English spelling
How popular is Colin?
- US rank in 2025
- #343
- 950 babies, 556 per million boys
- Best rank
- #85 in 2004
- 5,122 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 133,706
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 42 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 26 per million |
| 1900s | 25 per million |
| 1910s | 40 per million |
| 1920s | 37 per million |
| 1930s | 46 per million |
| 1940s | 129 per million |
| 1950s | 122 per million |
| 1960s | 216 per million |
| 1970s | 453 per million |
| 1980s | 957 per million |
| 1990s | 1,451 per million |
| 2000s | 1,960 per million |
| 2010s | 1,314 per million |
| 2020s | 640 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #198 | #228 | #249 | #260 | #287 | #269 | #293 | #334 | #335 | #343 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Colin
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- CaileanWhelp, young dog (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
Names spelled like Colin
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- ConanLittle hound or little wolf (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CalvinBald (French, boy)
- CaolánSlender one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CelynHolly (Welsh, unisex)
- CohenFrom a Jewish surname meaning priest (Hebrew, boy)
- ColeFrom a surname from Nicholas or the byname Cola, charcoal (Old English, boy)
- CollenHazel tree (Welsh, boy)
- ColmA dove (Latin, boy)
- ColmánLittle dove (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- SvenBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- CamilaYoung religious attendant (Latin, girl)
- CoraMaiden, young girl (Greek, girl)
- SweynBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- CalebMost likely from Hebrew kelev, dog (Hebrew, boy)
- CamiloYoung religious attendant (Latin, boy)
- CollinsFrom a surname meaning descendant of Coileán, whelp, young dog (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- ColtYoung horse (Old English, boy)
- CyrusPossibly young, or humiliator of the enemy (Persian, boy)
- EgidioYoung goat (Greek, boy)
- FilizSprout, young shoot (Turkish, girl)
- GhadaGraceful young woman (Arabic, girl)
- GillesYoung goat (Greek, boy)
- GurCub, young lion (Hebrew, boy)
- HaythamYoung eagle (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Colin
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Scottish Gaelic
- AngusOne strength (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- KennethAnglicized Coinneach, handsome, and Cináed, perhaps born of fire (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- BlairPlain, field (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- BowieYellow (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- CameronCrooked nose (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- CampbellCrooked mouth (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- CraigRock, crag (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DonaldWorld ruler (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DonnchadhBrown warrior (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DouglasDark river (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DuffDark (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DuncanBrown warrior (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- FearghasMan of vigor (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- FinleyFair warrior (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- GlenValley (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- GlennValley (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- KenzieSon of the handsome one (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- KyleNarrow strait (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
Colin: common questions
What does the name Colin mean?
Colin comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "whelp, young dog".
Is Colin a boy or girl name?
Colin is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Colin come from?
Colin comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "whelp, young dog". Today it is used in English and Scottish.
How popular is the name Colin?
Colin ranked #343 in the US in 2025, with 950 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Colin?
Forms of Colin with the same meaning and origin include Cailean (Scottish).
What middle names go with Colin?
Middle names that flow well with Colin include Bennett, David, Eugene, Howell and Jeremiah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.