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Cullen

♂ Boy

Pronounced KUL-un /ˈkʌl.ən/High

Meaning: Holly; descendant of Cuilinn; from Irish Gaelic Cuilinn (holly tree) with Ó (descendant of) prefix, anglicized as O'Cullen/CullenHigh

In 30 seconds: An Irish Gaelic surname meaning 'descendant of Cuilinn' (holly), anglicized from O'Cuilinn. Most widely known through the Cullen vampire family in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

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Origin HighIrish

MeaningHolly; descendant of Cuilinn; from Irish Gaelic Cuilinn (holly tree) with Ó (descendant of) prefix, anglicized as O'Cullen/Cullen

U.S. rank (2025)#1108 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births194 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2010

Total births (all-time)≈ 16,588

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

Cullen is the anglicization of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuilinn (descendant of Cuilinn, from cuilinn: holly). The holly tree was sacred in Celtic tradition and appears in many Irish names. As a given name Cullen is a modern surname-to-first-name transfer.

Cullen entered U.S. boys' charts partly through Twilight and has grown. It ranked #1129 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? The Cullen family name in Twilight (the vegetarian vampires) was chosen by Stephenie Meyer apparently for its Irish sound — and the series' enormous success made Cullen one of the defining surname-names of the 2000s for a generation of readers.

Overall data confidence 87%

Behind the Name — Cullen — Irish Gaelic etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

CullinCollin

Nicknames

Cull

Famous Bearers

★Cullen Jones (1984-)
American Olympic gold-medal swimmer
★Cullen Moss
American actor known for One Tree Hill

If you like Cullen…

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Callahan— Irish -ahan surname name in the same category

Brennan— Irish surname name with the same Celtic masculine confidence

Griffin— Welsh/Irish surname name with the same mythological-natural character

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cullen mean?

Cullen means 'descendant of Cuilinn' (holly), from Irish Gaelic Ó Cuilinn. The holly tree was sacred in Celtic tradition.

How do you pronounce Cullen?

It's said KUL-un — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cullen a boy or girl name?

Cullen is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Cullen?

Cullen ranked #1129 for U.S. boys in 2024.