Colm
Colm is a masculine given name of Irish origin. It is not an Irish version of Colin, but like Callum and Malcolm derives from a Gaelic variation on columba, the Latin word for "dove". The reason for the name's use for over a thousand years in Ireland and Scotland is out of respect for St Colmcille of Iona who was from a royal family in the north of Ireland and who evangelized the Scots.
- Irish
Meaning & Origin of Colm
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Colm is a masculine given name of Irish origin. It is not an Irish version of Colin, but like Callum and Malcolm derives from a Gaelic variation on columba, the Latin word for "dove". The reason for the name's use for over a thousand years in Ireland and Scotland is out of respect for St Colmcille of Iona who was from a royal family in the north of Ireland and who evangelized the Scots.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Irish
The Story of Colm
The earliest SSA record of Colm as a baby boy name dates back to 1962, when 5 babies received it. 2007 was its biggest year on record, with 28 newborns named Colm — #3,687 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Colm on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Colm ranks #5,218 for baby boys with 18 births, rising sharply (+40% over the past five years). All told, over 686 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Colm
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Colm. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Colmán
- Colum
Notable people named Colm
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Colm Bairéad (born 1981), Irish filmmaker
- Colm Brogan (1902–1977), Scottish writer
- Colm Byrne (born 1971), Irish playwright
- Colm Collins , Gaelic football manager
- Colm Condon (1921–2008), Irish lawyer
- Colm Connolly (born 1964), American judge
- Colm Connolly (journalist) (1942–2025), Irish journalist, newsreader, broadcaster, and author
- Colm Cooper (born 1983), Irish Gaelic football player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Colm
Phonetically similar names — useful when Colm is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Calm
- Kilm
- Calme
- Coln
- Kelm
- Colne
- Culm
- Koln
- Kalm
- Kulm
- Coal
- Comb
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Colm
What does the name Colm mean?
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How popular is Colm in 2026?
When was Colm most popular?
In which U.S. states is Colm most popular?
Is Colm a unisex name?
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What are nicknames or variants of Colm?
About the name Colm
Colm is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 686 births in the dataset. Colm's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #2,780. Use the chart and map above to compare Colm's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.