Kollin
Kollin was the 3166th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 38 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 1242nd; the most babies were born in 2009 (128). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,240 places. More babies were named Kollin 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
- #3,166 boys, down 527 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 38boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2009128 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,782babies recorded
What does the name Kollin mean?
Kollin 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)
Kollin popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 5 since 2016.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,166 | 38 |
| 2020 | #2,639 | 48 |
| 2010 | #1,548 | 104 |
| 2000 | #1,327 | 97 |
| 1990 | #3,249 | 19 |
| 1980 | #5,252 | 7 |
| 1970 | #4,060 | 7 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kollin, counting every spelling?
Kollin is a spelling of Colin, a name family that ranked #344 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,166 for Kollin 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 Kollin?
38 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kollin (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Kollin 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 221 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kollin.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kollin?
About 2,700 people born in the US named Kollin are alive today, with a median age of 20; half are between 13 and 28. That makes Kollin 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.
Kollin by state
How common Kollin was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 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 Kollin: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kollin, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kollin
What does Kollin mean?
Kollin 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 Kollin?
Kollin was the 3166th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 38 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 1242nd; the most babies were born in 2009 (128). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,240 places. More babies were named Kollin in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Kollin a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Kollin in the US.
Where is Kollin most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kollin was most common in Michigan (0.03 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Texas.