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Home › Baby Names Directory › Calleen

Calleen

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Calleen

Pronounced kuh-LEEN /kəˈliːn/Medium

Meaning: Calleen is a variant spelling of Colleen, taken directly from the Irish word cailin, 'girl' or 'young woman.' Unusually, Colleen was never a traditional given name in Ireland itself - it was Irish-Americans who turned the ordinary word into a first name.Low

In 30 seconds: Calleen is a spelling of Colleen, from the Irish cailin, 'girl.' It appears in US records and peaked around 1960 (said kuh-LEEN).
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Origin LowIrish, American
MeaningCalleen is a variant spelling of Colleen, taken directly from the Irish word cailin, 'girl' or 'young woman.' Unusually, Colleen was never a traditional given name in Ireland itself - it was Irish-Americans who turned the ordinary word into a first name.
U.S. rank (1992)#8838 ↗ Rising
1992 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1960
Total births (all-time)≈ 267

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196019291992

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Calleen is a variant of Colleen, from the Irish cailin, 'girl.' It rode the mid-century wave of Irish-heritage names in the United States, with this particular spelling staying far rarer than the standard form.

It was never common in this spelling, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak around 1960. A girl named Calleen reads as a mid-century Irish-American choice.

Did you know? Colleen and its spellings are an Irish-American invention: the word cailin simply means 'girl' in Irish, and it became a popular name in the United States long before it caught on back in Ireland.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Calleen — Spelling of Colleen (Irish cailin 'girl'); Irish-American invention; peak 1960; meaning from parent.

Variations

ColleenCaleenKolleenColeen

Nicknames

CalLeenie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Calleen…

Colleen— the standard spelling Calleen varies
Kathleen— a similar Irish-American name of the era
Maureen— another Irish-heritage name of the period
Coleen— lands in the same popularity range
Carsen— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Calleen

By themerarevintagevariantirish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Calleen mean?

It is a spelling of Colleen, from the Irish word cailin, meaning 'girl' or 'young woman.'

How do you pronounce Calleen?

It is said kuh-LEEN /kəˈliːn/ - two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Calleen a boy or girl name?

Calleen is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Calleen?

It was always rare in this spelling, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the nineteen-sixties.

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