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Colette

♀ Girl

Pronounced koh-LET /kɒˈlɛt/High

Meaning: French feminine diminutive of Nicolas, itself from the Greek Nikolaos, composed of 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people) — meaning 'victory of the people'.High

In 30 seconds: Colette is a chic French name that whispers of Parisian literary culture and medieval saintliness in equal measure. It is elegant, feminine, and effortlessly sophisticated.

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Origin HighFrench, Latin, Greek

MeaningFrench feminine diminutive of Nicolas, itself from the Greek Nikolaos, composed of 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people) — meaning 'victory of the people'.

U.S. rank (2025)#316 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births962 girls (0.06% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 27,983

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

Colette is a French diminutive of the name Nicole, itself the feminine form of Nicolas, derived from the Greek Nikolaos (victory of the people). Saint Colette of Corbie (1381–1447) was a French mystic and reformer of the Poor Clare order of nuns, beatified in 1740 and canonized in 1807. Her widespread veneration across medieval France gave the name strong religious associations.

The twentieth century brought Colette new fame through the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, whose novels including Gigi and Cheri made her one of the most celebrated writers in French literature. The name crossed the Atlantic and gained admirers in England and America as a symbol of French sophistication. In the twenty-first century it has enjoyed a quiet revival, prized for its two-syllable elegance and literary heritage.

Did you know? The French author Colette (Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, 1873–1954) was so celebrated that she was the first woman to be given a state funeral in France — and her single-name fame helped cement this name's literary prestige worldwide.

Overall data confidence 93%

Behind the Name: Colette — Etymology and French diminutive historyButler's Lives of the Saints — Biography of Saint Colette of Corbie

Variations

ColettaNicoletteCosette

Nicknames

CocoLettie

Famous Bearers

★Colette (Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette) (1873–1954)
Celebrated French author of Gigi and Cheri, the first woman given a French state funeral.
★Saint Colette of Corbie (1381–1447)
French mystic and reformer of the Poor Clares, canonized 1807.

If you like Colette…

Cosette— two-syllable French name ending in -ette with a similarly romantic literary feel

Juliette— French feminine name ending in -ette with classic European elegance

Vivienne— sophisticated French girl's name with literary and fashionable associations

Arlette— a fellow French choice

Celeste— shares the -te ending

Explore names like Colette

By themetwo-syllable french literary saint elegant

By meaningVictory

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Colette mean?

Colette means 'victory of the people', as a French diminutive of Nicole, from the Greek Nikolaos.

How do you pronounce Colette?

Colette is pronounced koh-LET (/kɒˈlɛt/), with two syllables and stress on the second.

Is Colette a boy or girl name?

Colette is a feminine name exclusively used for girls.

How popular is Colette?

Colette has been rising in the US top 500 since the 2010s, prized as a sophisticated French alternative to Charlotte or Cosette.