Colleen

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Colleen: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Colleen: Recorded since 1952, its highest recorded position is #41, and it stood at #718 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
112times a registrar ranked it
74years from first to last
#41highest recorded position
19groupings it qualifies for

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2016

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#753
1997	#770
1998	#869
1999	#864
2000	#1095
2001	#1305
2002	#1530
2003	#1722
2004	#1836
2005	#2682
2006	#3116
2007	#2410
2008	#3005
2009	#4564
2010	#3156
2011	#3549
2014	#5691
2016	#4763

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 47 of the 58 years from 1968 to 2025.

In 2016: #251 among girls in Northern Ireland, #4763 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1952–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1966
Highest recorded position: #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1966).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Colleen appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, with 47 ranked years and 481 births registered; the earliest is New South Wales, Australia · Girls, from 1952.

Colleen across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Colleen's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#327 (1968)	#197 (1992)	#718 (2025)	47 of 58	481 (1968–2025)	25 (1984)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#121 (1997)	#103 (1999)	#391 (2023)	20 of 27	199 (1997–2023)	21 (1998)
England and Wales · Girls	#753 (1996)	#753 (1996)	#4763 (2016)	18 of 21	230 (1996–2016)	30 (1996)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#41 (1952)	#41 (1952)	#100 (1966)	15 of 15	2,226 (1952–1966)	243 (1952)
New Zealand · Girls	#47 (1954)	#43 (1955)	#87 (1965)	12 of 12	1,367 (1954–1965)	152 (1955)

Colleen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Colleen in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	9	2 of 10	5
1970s	28	6 of 10	5
1980sbusiest	159	10 of 10	16
1990s	152	10 of 10	15
2000s	82	10 of 10	8
2010s	43	7 of 10	6
2020s	8	2 of 10	4

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 16 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Colleen appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1952 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #41 in New South Wales, Australia in 1952.

Colleen's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2016	England and Wales	female	#4763	4	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#5691	3	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#3549	6	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#3156	7	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#4564	4	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#3005	7	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#2410	9	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#3116	6	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#2682	7	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#1836	11	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#1722	11	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#1530	12	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#1305	15	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#1095	18	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#864	25	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#869	25	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#770	30	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#753	30	High	Verified
1966	New South Wales, Australia	female	#100	74	Insufficient	Not yet available
1965	New South Wales, Australia	female	#80	90	Insufficient	Not yet available
1964	New South Wales, Australia	female	#71	109	Insufficient	Not yet available
1963	New South Wales, Australia	female	#68	131	Insufficient	Not yet available
1962	New South Wales, Australia	female	#76	114	Insufficient	Not yet available
1961	New South Wales, Australia	female	#67	150	Insufficient	Not yet available
1960	New South Wales, Australia	female	#67	130	Insufficient	Not yet available
1959	New South Wales, Australia	female	#68	130	Insufficient	Not yet available
1958	New South Wales, Australia	female	#59	152	Insufficient	Not yet available
1957	New South Wales, Australia	female	#50	181	Insufficient	Not yet available
1956	New South Wales, Australia	female	#52	171	Insufficient	Not yet available
1955	New South Wales, Australia	female	#50	180	Insufficient	Not yet available
1954	New South Wales, Australia	female	#55	166	Insufficient	Not yet available
1953	New South Wales, Australia	female	#46	205	Insufficient	Not yet available
1952	New South Wales, Australia	female	#41	243	Insufficient	Not yet available
1965	New Zealand	female	#87	73	High	Verified
1964	New Zealand	female	#97	70	High	Verified
1963	New Zealand	female	#84	94	High	Verified
1962	New Zealand	female	#80	102	High	Verified
1961	New Zealand	female	#71	113	High	Verified
1960	New Zealand	female	#75	96	High	Verified
1959	New Zealand	female	#49	144	High	Verified
1958	New Zealand	female	#58	125	High	Verified
1957	New Zealand	female	#54	124	High	Verified
1956	New Zealand	female	#49	127	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	female	#43	152	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	female	#47	147	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	female	#391	3	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	female	#251	7	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	female	#314	5	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	female	#370	4	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	female	#383	4	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	female	#277	6	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	female	#213	9	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	female	#282	6	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	female	#311	5	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	female	#203	9	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	female	#219	8	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	female	#138	14	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	female	#122	15	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	female	#202	7	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	female	#150	12	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	female	#146	12	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	female	#143	13	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	female	#103	21	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	female	#105	21	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	female	#121	18	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#718	4	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#764	4	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#651	5	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#532	7	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#661	5	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#587	6	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#560	7	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#798	4	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#475	9	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#410	11	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#469	9	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#549	6	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#394	9	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	14	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#414	7	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#490	5	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#443	5	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#335	8	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#324	8	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#392	5	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#222	13	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#226	19	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#241	15	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#211	18	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#232	15	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#204	19	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#197	21	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#284	11	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#228	16	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	13	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#237	16	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#225	19	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#202	22	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#267	13	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#205	25	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#267	14	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#286	13	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#325	10	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#283	14	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#321	10	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#428	5	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#518	3	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#497	3	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#417	4	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#447	3	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#393	4	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#327	5	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1952 and 2025, ranked in 64 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #41, first reached in 1952.

It held a top-100 place in 15 years, 15 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 243 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1952.

Its record falls into 6 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 4 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1954, and 45 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Colette · #47, 61y
Colin · #22, 77y
Collette · #179, 49y
Collin · #698, 14y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Simone · #40, 62y
Desmond · #43, 68y
Jillian · #44, 63y
Valerie · #38, 68y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Brenda · #41, 71y
Joachim · #41, 63y
Susanne · #41, 71y
Beverley · #40, 55y

Colleen was ranked #41 in New South Wales, Australia · Girls in 1952. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Colleen and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Colleen without appearing here.

Colleen moved ahead of

Belinda Compare
In 2015 they stood at #5691 and #4684 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2016 that had become #4763 and #5785.
Tracy Compare
In 2008 they stood at #549 and #549 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2009 that had become #410 and #893.
Janet Compare
In 2009 they stood at #490 and #439 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2010 that had become #475 and #910.
Judith Compare
In 2011 they stood at #798 and #798 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2012 that had become #560 and #907.

Moved ahead of Colleen

Meabh Compare
In 2013 they stood at #3549 and #4049 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #5691 and #2314.
Pauline Compare
In 2013 they stood at #3549 and #4764 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #5691 and #2862.
Eabha Compare
In 2008 they stood at #3116 and #5061 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2009 that had become #4564 and #2326.
Jesse Compare
In 2010 they stood at #3156 and #4688 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #3549 and #1489.

Moved the opposite way to Colleen

Alice Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 while Alice went from #87 to #41.
Amy Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 while Amy went from #357 to #138.
Emma Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 while Emma went from #161 to #28.
Hannah Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 while Hannah went from #125 to #21.

Moved the same way as Colleen

Audrey Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 and Audrey from #48 to #885.
Julia Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 and Julia from #65 to #118.
Martina Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 and Martina from #11 to #325.
Mona Compare
Between 1968 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Colleen went from #327 to #718 and Mona from #327 to #718.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1952 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #41 in New South Wales, Australia in 1952. Source data last verified 2026-07-22.

Colleen

Colleen at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Colleen across 5 official records

Colleen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Colleen appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Colleen

Colleen and the names beside it

Colleen moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Colleen

Moved the opposite way to Colleen

Moved the same way as Colleen

Colleen at a glance

Colleen across 5 official records

Colleen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Colleen appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Colleen

Colleen and the names beside it

Colleen moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Colleen

Moved the opposite way to Colleen

Moved the same way as Colleen