Colin has two roots: in Scotland it is the anglicized form of the Gaelic Cailean, meaning "whelp" or "young pup", and in England it began as a medieval short form of Nicholas, "victory of the people". Former Secretary of State Colin Powell and actor Colin Firth are its best-known modern bearers. In the United States Colin peaked at number 85 in 2004, left the top 100 a few years later and ranks number 343 in 2025.