Kolin
Kolin was the 5318th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 18 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 1575th; the most babies were born in 2003 (79). Over the last ten years it has moved down 3,030 places. More babies were named Kolin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Colin) pet form of Nicholas; also Gaelic Cailean · English, French, Scottish Gaelic
- Rank in 2025
- #5,318 boys, down 1,547 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 18boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 200379 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,945babies recorded
What does the name Kolin mean?
Kolin is a spelling of Colin, pronounced the same way, so it shares Colin's meaning and origin.
Colin has two sources. In medieval England and France it was a pet form of Nicholas, built on the short form Coll plus the diminutive -in; DMNES derives Nicholas from Greek nikē, "victory", and laos, "people". Separately, Colin has been used to anglicize Scottish Gaelic Cailean and Irish Coileán, names linked with words for a young dog or whelp. Yonge's 1884 gloss "dove" reflects confusion with Columba and is not accepted.
Coll (Middle English, “short form of Nicholas”)Νικόλαος (Ancient Greek, “victory of the people”)Cailean (Scottish Gaelic, “personal name”)
How sure is this? Probable. Two unrelated sources share the spelling.
Other explanations you may read: means 'dove' (from Latin columba).
Related names: Collin, Cole, Nicholas, Collins.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Colin', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Nicholas', DMNES, Durham University
- Charlotte M. Yonge, History of Christian Names, new ed. (1884), index s.v. 'Colin' (19th-century work; used for dated usage facts only), Macmillan (public domain; Internet Archive scan)
Kolin popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,318 | 18 |
| 2020 | #3,771 | 28 |
| 2010 | #2,227 | 59 |
| 2000 | #1,720 | 66 |
| 1990 | #2,289 | 31 |
| 1980 | #3,742 | 11 |
| 1970 | #3,413 | 9 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kolin, counting every spelling?
Kolin is a spelling of Colin, a name family that ranked #344 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #5,318 for Kolin on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,006 boys in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Kolin?
18 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kolin (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Kolin born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 465 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kolin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kolin?
About 1,900 people born in the US named Kolin are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 15 and 30. That makes Kolin mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Kolin by state
How common Kolin was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kolin: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kolin, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kolin
What does Kolin mean?
Kolin is a spelling of Colin, which means “pet form of Nicholas; also Gaelic Cailean” (English, French, Scottish Gaelic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Kolin?
Kolin was the 5318th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 18 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 1575th; the most babies were born in 2003 (79). Over the last ten years it has moved down 3,030 places. More babies were named Kolin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Kolin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Kolin in the US.
Where is Kolin most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kolin was most common in Texas (0.01 per 1,000 boys).