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Name Lineage

    The first name Collins

    A unisex name meaning “descendant of coileán”, “knee”, “nipplewort”.

    Pronounced /ˈkɑlɪnz/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Collins means “descendant of coileán”, “knee”, “nipplewort”.

    * As an English surname, variant of Colin. * As an Irish and Manx surname, from Ó Coileáin (“descendant of Coileán”), see Cullen, McQuillan, and McCallion. * As a French surname, Americanized from Collin and Colette. * As a Slovene surname, Americanized from Kolenc, from koleno (“knee”) and the obsolete kolenc (“nipplewort”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 3 boys were named Collins, making it the 5,137th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2005, with 8 births (#1,991).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    79
    babies named Collins, 1996–2025
    #5,137
    rank in 2025
    2005
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Collins with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Collins at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 1,286 girls born in the United States were named Collins, the 241st most popular girls’ name that year.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    14,465
    babies named Collins since 1880
    #241
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Collins

    9 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Collins John
      Dutch footballer, born 1985
    • William Collins Whitney
      American politician, financier; United States Secretary of the Navy (1841-1904)
    • John Collins Warren
      American surgeon (1778–1856)
    • Stephen Foster
      American songwriter (1826-1864)
    • Shaboozey
      American singer (born 1995)
    • Edgar Bain
      American metallurgist (1891–1971)
    • Joyce Bulifant
      American actress, born 1937
    • Pierce Fulton
      American DJ, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, 1992–2021
    • Albert C. Greene
      American politician (1792–1863)

    Questions

    What does the name Collins mean?
    Collins means “descendant of coileán”, “knee”, “nipplewort”.
    How popular is the name Collins?
    In 2025, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Collins, ranking 5,137th. Its peak was 2005, with 8 births.
    Is Collins a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 14,465 US babies named Collins since 1880, 75% were girls and 25% boys.
    When was Collins most popular?
    2025 in the United States, when 1,286 babies were named Collins, its highest rank at 241st.
    How do you pronounce Collins?
    Collins is /ˈkɑlɪnz/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Collins?
    Collin, Colin, Collings, Colling, Collis and Colins.
    Is Collins also a surname?
    Yes. Collins is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.