The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Colleen!

Comments and insights on the name Colleen: | Edit

With a name like Colleen, someone is bound to mess up the pronounciation. I too, am called many different variations. A former co-worker referred to me as Colette, even though it's plainly on my nametag as "Colleen." In the end, I didn't care. I love having a unique name, since I went to school with Ashley's, Jennifer's, and Heather's. Most people will ask me how to pronounce my name so that they don't insult me, and I was one of two Colleens in school.

Personal experiences with the name Colleen: | Edit

I am a thirty-something Colleen, pronounced C-ah-leen, but most people in the Midwest where I live call me C-oh-leen, not matter how often I correct them, so that's annoying, but otherwise I like my name. I never had to go by "Colleen Initial" in school because there was only one time that I went to school with another Colleen!

Colleen is a good name to have. It's not very pretty or glamorous, but it is unique without being unusual, classic-sounding without being old. I never had any trouble with teasing when I was a kid, and I only know one other Colleen personally, and that isn't even her real name. I generally have to repeat myself a few times before people get the pronunciation right. The most common mistake is Carleen. Also, some people will drop one of the l's when spelling my name.

Nicknames for Colleen: | Edit

Leeny; Co; Eenie; Coll; Leen; Coco; Colleeny; Beany; Colly

Meanings and history of the name Colleen: | Edit

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Famous real-life people named Colleen: | Edit

Actress Colleen Dewhurst
Thorn Birds author Colleen McCullough
Colleen Moore, an actress from the silent film era

Colleen in song, story & screen: | Edit

Colleen Gavin, character and daughter of firefighter Tommy Gavin in the series "Rescue Me."