Colin

Colin is an English and Scottish name with two distinct origins. In Scotland and Ireland it developed as an Anglicized form of Cailean, a Gaelic name derived from the Old Irish word cuilén meaning young creature or puppy, borne notably by the medieval Scottish clan chief Cailean Mór of the Campbells. In English use it also arose independently as a medieval diminutive of Col, itself a short form of Nicholas, a name ultimately of Greek origin meaning victory of the people. Related forms include Collin, and the name shares its Gaelic lineage with the Scottish surname Campbell.