| Colm | Faolan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Dove | little wolf |
| Origin | Irish | irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KUL-um | FWAY-lawn |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1962 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2007 (28) | 2023 (23) |
| In 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Colm | Faolan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 84 | 72 |
| 2010s | 145 | 100 |
| 2000s | 189 | 25 |
| 1990s | 119 | 0 |
| 1980s | 44 | 0 |
| 1970s | 49 | 0 |
| 1960s | 32 | 0 |
Colm means “dove,” from the Latin columba; Saint Colm Cille (Columba) bore it.
From the Irish 'faol' ('wolf') and the diminutive suffix '-an', meaning 'little wolf'. Borne by several early Irish saints; anglicised as Phelan or Whelan.
Colm is more popular than Faolan today: about 12 US babies were given the name Colm in 2025, compared with 0 named Faolan.
Colm means Dove (Irish origin), while Faolan means little wolf (irish origin).
In US records, Colm first appears in 1962 and Faolan in 0, so Faolan has the longer recorded history.