The baby name Colette blends literary history with an on-trend sound.
Thanks to Laura for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME COLETTE MEAN?
Let’s begin with Nicholas, a name with Greek origins. It’s classic and timeless, which means it has plenty of related names and spin-offs. But it also peaked in popularity during the 1990s, so we sometimes hear Nicholas as trendy.
Nicholas means “victory of the people.” All related names share the same meaning, like feminine form of Nicholas Nicole.
And the first name Colette? It’s actually part of this family, too.
In French, Nicolette is a diminutive form of the name Nicole. Actress Nicollette Sheridan raised the name’s profile as Desperate Houswives’ Edie Britt and the recent reboot of Dynasty.
Drop the Nic-, and Colette is, strictly speaking, a double-diminutive of Nicole.
The last name Collett also comes from Nicholas.
Despite this origin, the baby name Colette feels like a distinctive, independent choice – not a nickname name.
SAINT COLETTE
One possible reason: the French nun known to history as Saint Colette.
During the 15th century, she founded a religious order with a focus on increased piety. Colette lived as a hermit and eventually established a reformed order of the Poor Clares. Colettine orders are still active across the world.
LITERARY COLETTE
Born Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette in 1873, Colette grew up to use only her surname as her pen name.
As Colette, she’s remembered mainly for her 1944 novel Gigi. It became a successful movie and stage production, too. The 1958 movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
In turn of the century France, her writing was scandalous; her real life, equally so.
Colette passed her surname on to her daughter as a given name. It became quite stylish in France in the middle of the 20th century. The name’s popularity seems linked to the writer.
After the author’s death in 1954, she became the first woman ever given a state funeral in France.
PIXAR’S COLETTE
Disney fans might recognize Colette Tatou as Linguini’s love interest from 2007’s Ratatouille. Actress Janeane Garofolo voiced the no-nonsense chef.
When it comes to baby name inspiration, Disney-Pixar movies have launched many a name – including Remy, from the same film.
It makes the baby name Colette feel like a classic French female name, stylish and restrained.
HOW POPULAR IS THE BABY NAME COLETTE?
Besides France, Colette has also trended in Ireland in recent years.
But how has the baby name Colette fared in the US?
After all, we love the name Cole for boys. And many a little girl answers to Juliette, Violet, Scarlett, or Charlotte.
As it happens, the baby name Colette peaked in 1966 at #372. But as of 2024, the name charted at #400 – nearly as high as that prior rank.
The name has lots of momentum right now, too. Potential nicknames Coco and Lettie make the name even more versatile.
THE BABY NAME COLETTE: ONE TO WATCH
All of this make the baby name Colette one to watch. It’s trim and stylish, traditional but fresh.
Parents say thing like, “Why don’t we hear Colette more?”
That could change, but for the moment, it’s the perfect name for parents after something sophisticated and just slightly different.
What do you think of the baby name Colette?
First published April 2, 2011, this post was revised substantially and re-posted on July 12, 2025.
EEEEEEE!!! I love Colette. (My Francophile is showing again). I am glad that it isn’t getting too popular, as I like my favorites to stay that way! Congrats on the upcoming wee one, Laura-I adore here name! Kudos to you for using something familiar yet unusual.
What fun to come home to all these great posts. There are some really unique suggestions that I never would have thought of on my own. I love it. Genevieve, Isabeau and Paloma are a few of my favorites so far.
I am also happy to hear that others like Valentina (my current favorite), Valencia (my husband’s favorite) and Clementine (our 3 year old’s favorite).
And Isadora, I hear you on the power of name association. We have had to let go of a few lovely names due to bad associations from our past.
Thanks everyone!
Colette Marie!!!!
PS there’s a Josette in first grade at our elem. school. That name seems simultaneously unusual and au courant as well.
I am a huge fan of Colette Veronica! Great luck with your new little one!
I also like Clementine for a middle name.
To Laura, I’m sure your little Colette will be lovely. But just for the sake of general name discussion, it’s not a favorite of mine, and here’s why: I went to high school with a Colette and…well, kids used to sing this song to her:
“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts
There they are a-standing in a row
Big ones, small ones, some as big as Colette’s!”
They weren’t doing it to be mean to her, she was proud of it. But to this day when I hear her name all I can think of are…well, BOOBS.
Isn’t it weird how the first person you meet with an unusual name colors your whole impression of that name?
I like Colette and think it works very well for an American girl — easy for others to pronounce, somewhat familiar, yet rarely used. Colette was the name of my French pen pal when we were 10 years old, many years ago. I noticed on a French baby name website (aufeminin.com) that Colette is a rare name for babies born in France today and that it can also be a masculine name in France.
I like Colette with another French name as the mn. Colette Madeleine or Colette Genevieve come to mind as pretty combinations for an American girl, but probably not the vibe your husband is seeking.
Thank you so much for posting about our chosen baby name! We are so excited to be welcoming little Colette into the world in a few weeks. We are still working on the middle name so if you have any fabulous suggestions feel free to send them our way. So far we are considering the following:
Valentina
Clementine
Catalina
Valencia
The fact that they are all C and V names is just a coincidence. We are looking for something feminine, romantic and for my husband “full of adventure”. French or Spanish name are always a plus.
Thanks again,
Laura
Ooh Fun! Feminine, romantic, and full of adventure? What about:
Colette Apolline
Colette Artemisia
Colette Evlalia
Colette Paloma
Colette Veronica
There are so many!
You’re welcome! And I love the rhythm of Colette plus ANY of these middles.
A few more for the mix:
Colette Isabeau
Colette Leocadia
Colette Amandine
Though I must say, my favorite is Colette Valencia, followed by Colette Valentina. Love the initials C.V., and both names sound full of adventure!
Colette Valencia is my favorite also. Congrats on your impending arrival! I love Colette 🙂
Congratulations, Laura, on the soon-to-be-birth of little Colette! You’ve picked a fabulous and definitely underused name. Good luck with the middle name selections!
Hi Laura 🙂
Well my name is Colette(no joke) and I want to say thanks for choosing my name for your baby! We need more Colette’s in the world!
Here is some advice and info about the name from a real Colette:
I read your comment earlier about misproununciation and it is DEFINITELY true! It is going to happen a lot, you are going to hear Cawl-ette and maybe even a Cole-eat every now and then, I know, weird right? But don’t get me wrong, I really like my name and it is interesting without being too in-your-face. The most common spelling is Collette (which people spell it that way ALL THE TIME!) and some people think I’m saying Clette, so you should pronounce it slowly and clearly and make it known that there is only one “L”.
For middle names I think that the name Annabelle (or a different spelling) would go very well because it is a sweet, romantic name. I also think Michele would go well, but I guess it depends on if it goes with the baby’s last name. What ever you decide I hope that your baby is happy and healthy!
I am usually not a fan of ‘ette’ names because they feel really clunky to my ear but this one sounds sweet. I know a lot of cultures ad the ‘ette’ at the end of names to make it a pet name and Colette has that sweet and cuddly pet name vibe.
I also know a little girl named Colleen which I think would fit with this name.
And then there’s Colette in the musical “Les Miserables,” the adopted daughter of Jean Valjean and love interest to Marius… another great reference for the name.
She’s Cosette in Les Miserables. 🙂 Another lovely ette name.
You’re right – I realized this a bit later. Thanks for the catch!
My daughter is named Colette and people are constantly telling me, “just like from Les Miz!” Always elicits an eye roll from me 😉
Colette is fabulous! I’ve always liked the Nic- names, even Nicole. Nicolas has a special spot in my heart. But Colette just about sings!
Sprightly, sweet and almost ethreal in sound. She floats off my tongue.
I am surprised she’s not charted, Colette feels very “now”. But I think she’ll age just fine!
A huge :thumbsup: from me for Colette!