Colm

maleStatistical record

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

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

Colm: Recorded every year since 1964, it reached #32 in 1970, and it stood at #286 in 2025.

3registrars recorded it
110times a registrar ranked it
62years from first to last
#32highest recorded position
23groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Colm's record

Ranked every year since 1964, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 44 years running. Names by top-100 run

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#728
1997	#567
1998	#716
1999	#655
2000	#731
2001	#1078
2002	#1077
2003	#976
2004	#1410
2005	#1299
2006	#1401
2007	#1506
2008	#2276
2009	#2837
2010	#4678
2011	#3300
2012	#3987
2013	#3822
2014	#4632
2016	#2804
2017	#4812
2019	#4702
2020	#3848
2021	#4789
2024	#5119

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 · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in every year from 1964 to 2025.

In 2024: #350 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 3 national registrars across 3 regions, 1964–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #32 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1970 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Colm appears in 3 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 62 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 8,701 births with the name.

Colm across 3 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.

Colm'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 · Boys	#45 (1964)	#32 (1970)	#286 (2025)	62 of 62	8,701 (1964–2025)	280 (1984)
England and Wales · Boys	#728 (1996)	#567 (1997)	#5119 (2024)	25 of 29	284 (1996–2024)	31 (1997)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#96 (1997)	#96 (1997)	#433 (2021)	23 of 25	208 (1997–2021)	24 (1997)

Colm by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

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 Colm in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	1,036	6 of 10	173
1970s	2,350	10 of 10	235
1980sbusiest	2,496	10 of 10	250
1990s	1,475	10 of 10	148
2000s	832	10 of 10	83
2010s	415	10 of 10	42
2020s	97	6 of 10	16

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 250 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1997 and 1998, when recorded births fell by 69, from 151 to 82.

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

Colm 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 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #32 in Republic of Ireland in 1970.

Colm'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
2024	England and Wales	male	#5119	3	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#4789	3	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#3848	4	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#4702	3	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#4812	3	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#2804	7	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#4632	3	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#3822	4	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#3987	4	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#3300	5	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#4678	3	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#2837	6	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#2276	8	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#1506	14	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#1401	14	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#1299	15	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#1410	12	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#976	19	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#1077	15	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#1078	14	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#731	24	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#655	26	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#716	23	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#567	31	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#728	21	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#433	3	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#319	5	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#415	3	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#281	6	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#314	5	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#281	6	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#303	5	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#231	8	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#245	7	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#248	7	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#224	9	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#217	9	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#255	6	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#223	7	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#192	9	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#182	9	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#125	18	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#157	10	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#127	16	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#133	14	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#140	13	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#172	9	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#96	24	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#286	15	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#350	11	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#268	16	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#239	20	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#312	14	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#226	21	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#214	24	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#200	28	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#197	29	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#177	33	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#149	42	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#132	48	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#117	59	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#141	51	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#128	54	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#152	47	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#103	76	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#116	67	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#82	85	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#73	97	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#86	74	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#74	88	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#73	86	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#76	83	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#71	87	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#65	89	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#54	117	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#66	82	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#54	151	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#55	149	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#59	127	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#50	146	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	male	#52	149	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	male	#47	179	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#47	176	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#43	199	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#37	200	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#37	236	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#40	234	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#37	261	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#42	232	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	male	#38	280	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#42	265	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#43	260	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#41	275	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#49	253	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	male	#48	227	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#35	268	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#49	219	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#44	233	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	male	#45	224	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	male	#45	228	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	male	#44	222	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#37	256	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	male	#43	217	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	male	#32	256	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	male	#39	191	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	male	#40	178	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	male	#39	191	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	male	#38	199	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	male	#48	133	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	male	#45	144	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
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 3 registrars between 1964 and 2025, ranked in 62 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #32, first reached in 1970.

It held a top-100 place in 44 years, 44 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 280 births, registered in Republic of Ireland in 1984.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 33 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.

Collin · #698, 14y
Collins · #409, 17y
Colman · #125, 48y
Colt · #339, 25y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 3 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.

Brendon · #31, 57y
Cathal · #31, 62y
Lorcan · #31, 62y
Dermot · #30, 60y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Celine · #32, 62y
Gabrielle · #32, 62y
Madeline · #32, 60y
Aidan · #33, 62y

Colm was ranked #32 in Republic of Ireland · Boys in 1970. 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.

Colm 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 Colm without appearing here.

Colm moved ahead of

Craig Compare
In 2007 they stood at #255 and #199 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2008 that had become #217 and #378.
Ashleigh Compare
In 1999 they stood at #655 and #621 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2000 that had become #731 and #881.
Richard Compare
In 2017 they stood at #415 and #279 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #319 and #416.
Simon Compare
In 2017 they stood at #415 and #415 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #319 and #416.

Moved ahead of Colm

Isak Compare
In 2016 they stood at #2804 and #3478 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2017 that had become #4812 and #2052.
Hans Compare
In 2016 they stood at #2804 and #3478 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2017 that had become #4812 and #2172.
Anders Compare
In 2020 they stood at #3848 and #4608 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2021 that had become #4789 and #2301.
Gustav Compare
In 2016 they stood at #2804 and #3478 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2017 that had become #4812 and #2512.

Moved the opposite way to Colm

Benjamin Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 while Benjamin went from #139 to #83.
Conor Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 while Conor went from #56 to #16.
Liam Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 while Liam went from #54 to #7.
Luke Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 while Luke went from #105 to #23.

Moved the same way as Colm

Alfred Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 and Alfred from #134 to #286.
Denis Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 and Denis from #21 to #232.
Frank Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 and Frank from #164 to #286.
George Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Colm went from #45 to #286 and George from #52 to #112.

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 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #32 in Republic of Ireland in 1970. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Colm

Colm at a glance

What stands out in Colm's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Colm across 3 official records

Colm by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Colm appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Colm

Colm and the names beside it

Colm moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Colm

Moved the opposite way to Colm

Moved the same way as Colm

Colm at a glance

What stands out in Colm's record

Colm across 3 official records

Colm by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Colm appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Colm

Colm and the names beside it

Colm moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Colm

Moved the opposite way to Colm

Moved the same way as Colm