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Colene

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Colene

Pronounced koh-LEEN /koʊˈliːn/Medium

Meaning: Colene is a trimmer spelling of Colleen, an American name from the Irish word cailin, 'girl' or 'young woman'; Colleen was not a traditional Irish given name but an Irish-American coinage, and Colene is one of its variants.Medium

In 30 seconds: Colene is a slimmed-down Colleen — from the Irish word for 'girl' (said 'koh-LEEN').

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Origin MediumIrish

MeaningColene is a trimmer spelling of Colleen, an American name from the Irish word cailin, 'girl' or 'young woman'; Colleen was not a traditional Irish given name but an Irish-American coinage, and Colene is one of its variants.

U.S. rank (1997)#14209 ↘ Falling

1997 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1931

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,624

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Colene varies Colleen, which comes not from an old Irish name but from the ordinary Irish word cailin, 'girl'. Irish-American parents adopted it as a given name in the twentieth century, and small respellings like Colene gave the popular choice a lighter look.

Colene has a faint record from around 1908, cresting about 1931 and fading by the late 1990s — only a few dozen girls a year at most. It reads as a mid-century Irish-flavored name, gently old-fashioned.

Did you know? Colene rode the mid-century vogue for Colleen among Irish-American families, joining Coleen and Coline as slightly simplified spellings of the word-name.

Overall data confidence 55%

Behind the Name — Colleen — Irish cailin, 'girl'

Variations

ColleenColeenColine

Nicknames

CocoLene

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Colene…

Colleen— the standard spelling Colene trims

Coleen— a close respelling sibling

Arlene— a like mid-century -lene girls' name

Jolene— a same-era -lene name of similar feel

Explore names like Colene

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Colene mean?

Colene is a variant of Colleen, from the Irish word cailin, meaning 'girl'.

How do you pronounce Colene?

It's said koh-LEEN /koʊˈliːn/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Colene a boy or girl name?

Colene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Colene?

Colene is rare — a mid-century variant of Colleen borne by only a few dozen girls a year at its peak.