Fun Facts About the Name Colette
- More than 27 thousand babies named Colette: U.S. records list 27,983 babies given the name Colette from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Colette Mean?
Colette is a French feminine name meaning "victory of the people." It is a diminutive of Nicole, the French feminine form of Nicolas, which derives from Greek Nikolaos, formed from nike "victory" and laos "people." The French suffix -ette gives the name a diminutive or affectionate form, so Colette is a diminutive of Nicole while carrying the same inherited meaning. Its immediate origin is French, not Greek.
Colette Name History & Origins
Colette developed in France as a diminutive of Nicole. The suffix -ette was productive in Old and Middle French for forming feminine diminutives, as in Annette, Jeannette, and Nicolette. Colette is closely related to Nicolette, a longer diminutive of Nicole. A notable medieval bearer was Saint Colette of Corbie (1381 - 1447), born Nicolette Boëllet, who reformed the Poor Clares and founded the Colettine branch of that order.
The name remained in French use and later entered English-speaking countries. In the twentieth century, the French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873 - 1954), known professionally as Colette, became a famous literary bearer. English and other non-French speakers often use Colette as a standalone given name rather than as a nickname for Nicole. The name is also found in Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec, and other French-speaking regions.
How Popular is the Name Colette?
Colette recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #316 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #316 | 962 | 0.0599% |
| 2024 | #400 | 789 | 0.0489% |
| 2023 | #442 | 697 | 0.0435% |
| 2022 | #450 | 698 | 0.0426% |
| 2021 | #456 | 686 | 0.0418% |
| 2020 | #532 | 568 | 0.0352% |
| 2019 | #497 | 630 | 0.0376% |
| 2018 | #535 | 587 | 0.0345% |
| 2017 | #530 | 585 | 0.0339% |
| 2016 | #470 | 676 | 0.0382% |
| 2015 | #525 | 597 | 0.0335% |
| 2014 | #523 | 590 | 0.0330% |
| 2013 | #613 | 458 | 0.0261% |
| 2012 | #664 | 426 | 0.0242% |
| 2011 | #1,036 | 240 | 0.0136% |
| 2010 | #1,167 | 208 | 0.0117% |
| 2009 | #1,205 | 208 | 0.0113% |
| 2008 | #1,301 | 191 | 0.0101% |
| 2007 | #1,518 | 152 | 0.0079% |
| 2006 | #1,405 | 161 | 0.0085% |
| 2005 | #1,427 | 150 | 0.0081% |
| 2004 | #1,364 | 154 | 0.0084% |
| 2003 | #1,455 | 135 | 0.0074% |
| 2002 | #1,299 | 151 | 0.0084% |
| 2001 | #1,147 | 182 | 0.0101% |
| 2000 | #1,120 | 182 | 0.0100% |
| 1999 | #1,110 | 179 | 0.0101% |
| 1998 | #1,418 | 121 | 0.0068% |
| 1997 | #1,251 | 142 | 0.0082% |
| 1996 | #1,141 | 159 | 0.0091% |
| 1995 | #1,075 | 166 | 0.0094% |
| 1994 | #1,271 | 134 | 0.0075% |
| 1993 | #1,275 | 134 | 0.0074% |
| 1992 | #1,342 | 125 | 0.0068% |
| 1991 | #1,234 | 138 | 0.0074% |
| 1990 | #1,272 | 128 | 0.0067% |
| 1989 | #1,126 | 147 | 0.0080% |
| 1988 | #1,038 | 155 | 0.0087% |
| 1987 | #1,054 | 146 | 0.0084% |
| 1986 | #897 | 182 | 0.0106% |
| 1985 | #710 | 244 | 0.0142% |
| 1984 | #808 | 196 | 0.0116% |
| 1983 | #861 | 177 | 0.0106% |
| 1982 | #817 | 192 | 0.0113% |
| 1981 | #930 | 161 | 0.0097% |
| 1980 | #826 | 190 | 0.0114% |
| 1979 | #885 | 171 | 0.0107% |
| 1978 | #829 | 179 | 0.0117% |
| 1977 | #787 | 191 | 0.0125% |
| 1976 | #756 | 191 | 0.0130% |
| 1975 | #660 | 230 | 0.0158% |
| 1974 | #621 | 251 | 0.0171% |
| 1973 | #603 | 262 | 0.0180% |
| 1972 | #597 | 267 | 0.0176% |
| 1971 | #520 | 357 | 0.0215% |
| 1970 | #501 | 395 | 0.0226% |
| 1969 | #489 | 396 | 0.0235% |
| 1968 | #487 | 391 | 0.0238% |
| 1967 | #435 | 467 | 0.0283% |
| 1966 | #372 | 595 | 0.0352% |
| 1965 | #452 | 447 | 0.0253% |
| 1964 | #442 | 486 | 0.0256% |
| 1963 | #437 | 496 | 0.0257% |
| 1962 | #441 | 475 | 0.0242% |
| 1961 | #444 | 487 | 0.0241% |
| 1960 | #426 | 524 | 0.0259% |
| 1959 | #442 | 473 | 0.0234% |
| 1958 | #419 | 496 | 0.0247% |
| 1957 | #454 | 434 | 0.0212% |
| 1956 | #450 | 410 | 0.0204% |
| 1955 | #469 | 375 | 0.0192% |
| 1954 | #454 | 378 | 0.0195% |
| 1953 | #457 | 348 | 0.0185% |
| 1952 | #493 | 290 | 0.0156% |
| 1951 | #506 | 265 | 0.0147% |
| 1950 | #596 | 201 | 0.0117% |
| 1949 | #598 | 189 | 0.0110% |
| 1948 | #635 | 171 | 0.0101% |
| 1947 | #646 | 166 | 0.0094% |
| 1946 | #689 | 135 | 0.0086% |
| 1945 | #857 | 77 | 0.0059% |
| 1944 | #742 | 105 | 0.0079% |
| 1943 | #746 | 108 | 0.0077% |
| 1942 | #815 | 88 | 0.0065% |
| 1941 | #752 | 90 | 0.0074% |
| 1940 | #821 | 75 | 0.0066% |
| 1939 | #828 | 70 | 0.0064% |
| 1938 | #694 | 99 | 0.0090% |
| 1937 | #769 | 79 | 0.0074% |
| 1936 | #828 | 66 | 0.0063% |
| 1935 | #732 | 85 | 0.0081% |
| 1934 | #832 | 67 | 0.0064% |
| 1933 | #724 | 82 | 0.0081% |
| 1932 | #832 | 68 | 0.0064% |
| 1931 | #857 | 65 | 0.0061% |
| 1930 | #891 | 66 | 0.0059% |
| 1929 | #887 | 65 | 0.0058% |
| 1928 | #968 | 59 | 0.0051% |
| 1927 | #1,283 | 38 | 0.0032% |
| 1926 | #1,099 | 47 | 0.0040% |
| 1925 | #1,094 | 49 | 0.0040% |
| 1924 | #1,001 | 58 | 0.0046% |
| 1923 | #1,146 | 45 | 0.0037% |
| 1922 | #1,434 | 32 | 0.0027% |
| 1921 | #1,377 | 34 | 0.0028% |
| 1920 | #1,358 | 34 | 0.0028% |
| 1919 | #1,659 | 24 | 0.0021% |
| 1918 | #1,305 | 34 | 0.0029% |
| 1917 | #1,348 | 30 | 0.0028% |
| 1916 | #1,191 | 36 | 0.0034% |
| 1915 | #1,628 | 21 | 0.0021% |
| 1914 | #1,102 | 30 | 0.0039% |
| 1913 | #1,182 | 22 | 0.0035% |
| 1912 | #1,125 | 22 | 0.0039% |
| 1911 | #1,082 | 17 | 0.0041% |
| 1910 | #1,222 | 14 | 0.0035% |
| 1909 | #1,021 | 16 | 0.0046% |
| 1908 | #1,018 | 16 | 0.0048% |
| 1907 | #1,104 | 13 | 0.0041% |
| 1906 | #2,009 | 5 | 0.0017% |
| 1903 | #1,856 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| 1901 | #1,153 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1900 | #1,121 | 12 | 0.0040% |
| 1899 | #1,195 | 8 | 0.0034% |
| 1898 | #1,542 | 6 | 0.0023% |
| 1897 | #1,602 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1895 | #1,457 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1893 | #1,103 | 8 | 0.0038% |
| 1892 | #1,498 | 5 | 0.0024% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Colette Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Colette's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Colette's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.