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Collins

♀ Girl

Pronounced KOL-inz /ˈkɒl.ɪnz/High

Meaning: Son of Colin; from Irish Ó Coileáin or Mac Coileáin: coileán (pup, youth)Medium

In 30 seconds: An Irish and Scottish patronymic surname meaning 'son of Colin (the young one).' Now a fashionable girls' first name, following the path of similar surname-style names like Morgan and Quinn.
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Origin MediumIrish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic
MeaningSon of Colin; from Irish Ó Coileáin or Mac Coileáin: coileán (pup, youth)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,528

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201719822017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Collins is an Irish and Scottish surname, the anglicization of Gaelic Ó Coileáin or Mac Coileáin — 'descendant or son of Coileán,' a personal name meaning 'whelp' or 'youth' (from coileán, 'puppy, pup'). It may also derive from Colin, a medieval diminutive of Nicholas. The surname has been common in Ireland and Scotland since the medieval period.

Collins as a first name is an early-21st-century development, primarily for girls. It entered the U.S. girls' top 1000 in the 2010s and has been rising. It fits the current trend for Irish and Scottish surnames used as gender-neutral first names with a preppy, collegiate appeal.

Did you know? The character Collins in the novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) — the pompous Mr. Collins — gave the name a comically unflattering literary shadow, but contemporary usage has completely overwritten that association.

Variations

CollinKolins

Nicknames

ColColl

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Collins…

Morgan— Irish/Welsh surname equally popular as a girls' first name
Quinn— Irish surname used for girls with the same crisp, single-syllable-per-vowel appeal
Reagan— Irish surname name with the same preppy-meets-Celtic character

Frequently Asked

What does the name Collins mean?

Collins is an Irish/Scottish patronymic surname meaning 'son of Coileán (the pup or youth),' from Irish coileán (puppy).

How do you pronounce Collins?

Collins is pronounced KOL-inz (/ˈkɒl.ɪnz/) — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Collins a boy or girl name?

Collins is predominantly used as a girl's name in the U.S. today, though it is historically a surname used for both sexes.

How popular is Collins?

Collins entered the U.S. girls' top 1000 in the 2010s and has been rising steadily as a fashionable surname name.