Colin in Irish: Coilin
The Irish form of Colin is Coilin, a boy's name meaning “whelp, pup.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Coilin
- Meaning
- Whelp, pup
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 348 for boys (2025)
How do you say Colin in Irish?
Colin in Irish is Coilin, pronounced KOH-lin. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Coilin mean?
Coilin means “whelp, pup.” Colin is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Coilin: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Colin in Ireland?
In 2025, 11 baby boys in Ireland were named Colin, which made it No. 348 that year. That's down from No. 239 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1985, when 249 baby boys were named Colin, No. 38 that year. The most babies got the name in 1984: 269. The records go back to 1964, when 37 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | No. 348 |
| 2024 | 13 | No. 302 |
| 2023 | 8 | No. 436 |
| 2022 | 7 | No. 454 |
| 2021 | 8 | No. 414 |
| 2020 | 21 | No. 226 |
| 2019 | 19 | No. 244 |
| 2018 | 24 | No. 224 |
| 2017 | 17 | No. 272 |
| 2016 | 16 | No. 283 |
| 2015 | 22 | No. 239 |
| 2014 | 26 | No. 220 |
| 2013 | 30 | No. 199 |
| 2012 | 40 | No. 169 |
| 2011 | 41 | No. 165 |
| 2010 | 51 | No. 144 |
| 2009 | 61 | No. 123 |
| 2008 | 73 | No. 105 |
| 2007 | 64 | No. 112 |
| 2006 | 71 | No. 88 |
| 2005 | 48 | No. 117 |
| 2004 | 99 | No. 69 |
| 2003 | 75 | No. 81 |
| 2002 | 42 | No. 110 |
| 2001 | 58 | No. 92 |
| 2000 | 70 | No. 78 |
| 1999 | 71 | No. 79 |
| 1998 | 70 | No. 70 |
| 1997 | 114 | No. 65 |
| 1996 | 93 | No. 75 |
| 1995 | 135 | No. 57 |
| 1994 | 130 | No. 57 |
| 1993 | 124 | No. 60 |
| 1992 | 130 | No. 58 |
| 1991 | 141 | No. 56 |
| 1990 | 147 | No. 55 |
| 1989 | 141 | No. 53 |
| 1988 | 179 | No. 44 |
| 1987 | 196 | No. 44 |
| 1986 | 232 | No. 41 |
| 1985 | 249 | No. 38 |
| 1984 | 269 | No. 41 |
| 1983 | 220 | No. 47 |
| 1982 | 198 | No. 49 |
| 1981 | 190 | No. 53 |
| 1980 | 260 | No. 47 |
| 1979 | 245 | No. 45 |
| 1978 | 223 | No. 45 |
| 1977 | 224 | No. 47 |
| 1976 | 186 | No. 51 |
| 1975 | 203 | No. 50 |
| 1974 | 193 | No. 51 |
| 1973 | 203 | No. 49 |
| 1972 | 187 | No. 49 |
| 1971 | 204 | No. 47 |
| 1970 | 102 | No. 68 |
| 1969 | 106 | No. 63 |
| 1968 | 96 | No. 61 |
| 1967 | 79 | No. 69 |
| 1966 | 74 | No. 68 |
| 1965 | 48 | No. 86 |
| 1964 | 37 | No. 89 |
Coilin in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Coilin, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- OOnn, gorse
- IIodhadh, yew
- LLuis, rowan
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Colin
Questions about Colin
- What is Colin in Irish?
- The Irish form of Colin is Coilin, pronounced KOH-lin. Coilin means “whelp, pup.”
- How do you pronounce Coilin?
- Coilin is pronounced KOH-lin. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is Colin a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Colin is a boy's name.
- How popular is Colin in Ireland?
- In 2025, Colin was No. 348 for boys in Ireland, with 11 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1985, at No. 38.