The nameColine

Meaning

Coline is a pet form of Nicole, the feminine of Nicolas, from the Greek nike, "victory", and laos, "people". It also recalls colline, the French word for "hill".

Origin

French. Colin is the medieval pet form of Nicolas, and Coline its feminine.

History

Coline came back in France in the 1990s. The director Coline Serreau, who made Trois hommes et un couffin (1985), made it familiar.

Famous people named Coline

• Coline Serreau, film director

Popularity of the name Coline

Coline in France

Coline was most popular in France in the 2000s, with 7,955 births over the decade, 34% of all recorded babies named Coline. Its rise began around 1986, and it peaked in 1998. Half of all babies named Coline in France were born before 2002. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 274 births a year on average, against 395 in the five years before.

Coline in Belgium

Coline was most popular in Belgium in the 2000s, with 445 births over the decade, 37% of all recorded babies named Coline. Half of all babies named Coline in Belgium were born before 2005, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 20 births a year on average, against 31 in the five years before.