Colin

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Colin

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Colin has several possible sources:
1. Colin is a French diminutive of Col, itself a diminutive of Nicholas, the French form of a Greek name, Nikolaos. It originally meant “Victory of the People” from “nike” (victory) and “laos” (people).
-or-
2. Colin is the Anglicized form of Colán, and Irish Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic: Cailean) name meaning “Young Dog,” from “caileán” and signifying a young person, or a cadet.
-or-
3. Colin can be considered another form of Callum, the Scottish Gaelic form of Columba.

History:
As a nickname for Nicholas, Colin appeared in England about the year 1200. By the 16th century, however, it was considered rustic, and vulgar, and it slowly died out. Its revival in the early 20th century may be due to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel The Secret Garden, featuring a young boy named Colin Craven.

Pronunciation: coll-inn, cole-inn.

Alternates: Colan, Collin, Collins, Collyn, Colson, Kolin, Kollin.

Feminine: Colina.

See also: Collin.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Sir Colin Davis (1927-)
English conductor.
Colin Wilson (1931-)
English novelist.
Colin Johnson (1939-)
Australian novelist.
Colin Thubron (1939-)
British novelist and travel writer.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Colin Macfarquhar (1745-1893)
Cofounder of the Encyclopœdia Britannica.
Colin Macmillan Turnbull (1924-1994)
British anthropologist.

Miscellaneous:
Colin Earl Meads (1936-)
New Zealander rugby player.

Political Figures:
Colin Powell (1937-)
Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War.

Scientists:
Colin Maclaurin (1698-1746)
Scottish mathematician.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.031 % named Colin
0.009 % named Collin

Popularity of Colin:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 812th most popular.
1940-1950: 488th most popular.
1950-1960: 477th most popular.
1960-1970: 394th most popular.
1970-1980: 271st most popular.
1980-1990: 165th most popular.
1990: 129th most popular.
1991: 150th most popular.
1992: 138th most popular.
1993: 125th most popular.
1994: 124th most popular.
1995: 137th most popular.
1996: 129th most popular.
1997: 128th most popular.
1998: 118th most popular.
1999: 120th most popular.
2000: 118th most popular.
2001: 125th most popular.
2002: 116th most popular.
2003: 89th most popular.

In France...
1900-1999: N/A
2000: 156th most popular.

In Ireland...
1998: 70th most popular.
1998: 79th most popular.
2000: 80th most popular.
2001: 94th most popular.
2000: 110th most popular.
2003: 82nd most popular.