Colette
Colette is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
Victory of the people.
Origin and history
Colette is a French feminine name derived as a diminutive of Nicole, which traces back to the Greek name Nikolaos. It gained international popularity through French literature, notably via the famous mononymic author Colette. In the United States, it is a timeless classic that has experienced a steady resurgence in recent years.
Popularity in the United States
27,987 babies in the United States have been named Colette since 1880. It ranks #867 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #420.
States where it is most popular
- CA (16.4 %)
- NY (11.3 %)
- IL (9.5 %)
- PA (5.8 %)
- MI (5.1 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 38 |
| 1900-1910 | 76 |
| 1910-1920 | 250 |
| 1920-1930 | 461 |
| 1930-1940 | 747 |
| 1940-1950 | 1,204 |
| 1950-1960 | 3,670 |
| 1960-1970 | 4,764 |
| 1970-1980 | 2,494 |
| 1980-1990 | 1,790 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,426 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,666 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,998 |
| 2020-2029 | 4,403 |
Famous people named Colette
- Colette: Author, Novelist
- Colette Carr: Singer, Songwriter
Nicknames
Coco, Lette, Etta
Fun facts
- The famous French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette adopted 'Colette' as her single-name pen name, writing famous works like Gigi.
- Saint Colette (1381–1447) was born Nicolette, introducing the shortened form Colette into European naming traditions.