Colin (given Name)

Colin (given Name)

Colin is a male given name. Colin is usually pronounced /ˈkɒlɨn/ (KO-lin), although General Colin Powell chooses to use /ˈkoʊlɨn/ (KOH-lin). Like many given names, it has multiple origins, including:

• an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Cailean" or "Coileáin", meaning "whelp", "cub", or "young pup";
• a diminutive form of Nicolas (before the 17th century in England, most nicknames had the diminutive ending "in" or "Kin", where the ending is attached to the first syllable, a few remain such as Robin (Rob-in, from Robert), Hank (Hen-Kin from Henry), Jack (Jan-kin from John), and Colin (Col-in from Nicolas));
• a diminutive form of "Colle", a short French form of Nicholas (Greek), meaning "victorious people";
• a development of the Norse name "Koli", meaning "dark", a Middle English surname given to those living on property whose ownership was disputed;

In the UK and Ireland the name tends to be spelt with one "L", Colin; whereas in the USA it is sometimes spelled with two, Collin. It was never a common name in England and Wales, probably peaking around the 1960s, and has not been in the top 100 boy's names for decades. In Scotland it ranked approximately 200th in 2007, but in Ireland it is more popular, ranking 88th in 2006. Colin is slowly becoming more popular in the USA, making the top 100 boys' names in each of the three years to 2005, with Collin being slightly less popular. In total, the two spellings accounted for around 1 in 300 boys named in the USA in 2005.

Colin may refer to a number of notable people: