This name started as a word in Irish Gaelic, cailin (with the stress on the second syllable) meaning "girl." Later Anglicised as Colleen, it became strongly associated with Ireland and came to have lower-class connotations of "wench" or "peasant girl." Possibly because so many "colleens" or penniless Irish girls went to America in the 19th century to start new lives, it gradually emerged as a name in North America in the 20th. Its popularity was boosted by the fame of silent film star Colleen Moore.
It is often believed to be a variant of Colette ( a French name made internationally famous by the author with that name) but in fact Colette is probably a feminine form of Nicholas. The similar name Colin is also originally a variant of Nicholas, though in Scotland it has associations with the Gaelic Calum. There was also a boy's name Coll in the Middle Ages, probably also of Celtic origin ("high") and still in use as a surname especially in Scotland.
It is often believed to be a variant of Colette ( a French name made internationally famous by the author with that name) but in fact Colette is probably a feminine form of Nicholas. The similar name Colin is also originally a variant of Nicholas, though in Scotland it has associations with the Gaelic Calum. There was also a boy's name Coll in the Middle Ages, probably also of Celtic origin ("high") and still in use as a surname especially in Scotland.
