Cullen

Updated: January 13, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Cullen is a classic baby boy’s name that is of Irish and German origin. It means “holly tree” and “from the colony” respectively. Cullen was sporadically popular in the early 1900s but it really spiked in popularity in the mid-1970s.

Meaning of the name Cullen:

Irish: holly tree
German: from the colony

Origin of the name Cullen:

Cullen is an Irish baby boy’s name that means “holly tree”. Cullen is the Anglicized version of the Irish surnames Ó Coileáin and Ó Cuilinn. Cullen is also the English adaptation of the German surname Cologne meaning “from the colony”.

Symbolism of the name Cullen:

The holly tree has held cultural and spiritual significance in many places in the world over the years. Ancient Celtic and Norse peoples believed that holly symbolized peace and goodwill. Holly is also unique in that it is resistant to lightning and it was often planted near settlements to help ward off lightning strikes.

Style of the name Cullen:

traditional

Gender of the name Cullen:

Cullen is a boy's name.

Pronunciation of the name Cullen:

KUL-ən

Number of syllables in the name Cullen:

two

Emotion evoked from the name Cullen:

Cullen evokes feelings of honor and protection.

Alternative spellings for the name Cullen:

Kullen, Cullyn, Culen, Kulen

Nicknames for the name Cullen:

Lenny
Len
Cull
Cee

Popularity of the name Cullen:

According to the Social Security Administration, Cullen is a popular baby boy’s name. Cullen was in the top 1000 names at the beginning of the 20th century. It returned to the top 1000 names in 1974 and remains there as of 2020. It peaked at #413 in 2010.