Cullen

Cullen: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “holly tree”
Origin: Irish
Say it: KUL-en · 2 syllables
Used for: Boys

Anglicized from an Irish surname, often linked to Ó Cuilinn, from cuileann meaning 'holly'. It is also used as a given name in English-speaking contexts.

Irish names English names Names meaning tree Names meaning nature Surname-style names Nature names International names

How popular is Cullen?

202456.0 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Cullen in 2024187

2024 rank#1,128 boys

Peak year2010

Total US babies since 188016,500

Cullen is fading: recent use is about 57% of its level ten years before.

Names like Cullen

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Liamresolute protector · Irish
Aidenlittle fire · Irish
Rowanlittle red-haired one · Irish
Nolandescendant of Nuallán · Irish
Ryanlittle king · Irish
Declanuncertain, possibly full of goodness · Irish
Connorlover of hounds · Irish
Kevinhandsome, gentle, kind · Irish

Cullen questions

What does the name Cullen mean?

Cullen means "holly tree". It comes from Irish. Anglicized from an Irish surname, often linked to Ó Cuilinn, from cuileann meaning 'holly'. It is also used as a given name in English-speaking contexts.

Is Cullen a boy or girl name?

Cullen is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Cullen?

187 US babies were named Cullen in 2024. Its peak year was 2010.

How do you pronounce Cullen?

Cullen is usually pronounced KUL-en.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.