A male name. French diminutive of Col, an abbreviation of Nicholas (q.v.). Colin is found in England from 1200 onwards, but not apparently as an independent name; it gave rise to the common surnames Collin, Collins, Collinson. Spenser’s Colin Clout seems to show that by the 16th C the name was regarded as a rustic nickname, and it gradually died out altogether. The Scottish Colin, still in use (sometimes by English as well as Scots), is a different name, probably a form of Columba (see Colum and Malcolm).

Colinus Curia Regis Rolls 1200, Hundred Rolls 1273. Colin Poll Tax of West Riding of Yorkshire 1379 1379.

(Cf. Colan, q. v.) literally, ‘a dove.’ It derives from St. Columba or Columbus, many of whose disciples were named Gillecolum(b) or Mael(Maol)colum, i. e. ‘male servant of (St. ) Columba(-us)’; the reduction of Columbanus) to colum(b) is typical in A. -S. and Celtic derivations from, or adaptations of, Latin (or Greek) names. The originally and, still, mainly Scottish Colin is sometimes confused with French Colin, which is indubitably an offshoot (? a diminutive) of French Nicolas. (Yonge.)

From Nicolin, a diminutive of Nicol, from Nicolas or Nicholas.

A Greek name, meaning: Victory.

A Gaelic name: Cailean, Middle Gaelic Callane, Cailin (1467 MS.), Colinus (Latin of 1292). This is a personal name, once more or less peculiar to the Campbells, the Chief being always in Gaelic M‘Cailein. Its relation to English and Continental Colin is doubtful. Cf. Coileán, “whelp,” and personal name; the Gaelic is a dialectic form of old coileán (see Fol.), cuilean, whelp.