Colette
Meaning of Colette
Colette, pronounced koh-LET, is the French hypocoristic form of Nicolette—a medieval pet-name for Nicole—which itself descends from the Greek Nikolaos, a compound of nīkē “victory” and laós “people”; accordingly, the name carries the semantic heritage of “triumph of the populace.” Historical associations are anchored by Saint Colette of Corbie (1381–1447), whose rigorous reform of the Poor Clares imprinted the name with overtones of resolve and ascetic devotion, and by the Belle Époque author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, whose stylistically modern novels, most notably Gigi, endowed the appellation with literary cachet and a subtle aura of Parisian sophistication. In Anglo-American usage the name entered Social-Security records at the close of the nineteenth century, oscillated around mid-ranking positions through the post-war decades, and, after a brief lull, has enjoyed a measured resurgence—rising from rank 708 in 2011 to 358 in 2024—suggesting a steady appeal to parents who seek a recognizably French, yet phonetically straightforward, feminine option that bridges classical etymology and contemporary elegance.
Pronunciation
French
- Pronunced as koh-LET (/ko.lət/)
English
- Pronunced as koh-LET (/koʊleˈt/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Colette
| Colette Justine - Colette Lumiere is a Tunisian-American multimedia artist known for her pioneering work since the 1970s in performance and street art, exploring gender roles through guises and soft fabric environments where she often takes center stage. |
| Colette Fu is an American artist celebrated for her large-scale pop-up books crafted from her photographs. |
| Colette Álvarez Urbajtel was a French-Mexican photographer celebrated for her black-and-white depictions of everyday life, mentored by her husband Manuel Álvarez Bravo, and recognized with international exhibitions and prestigious honors. |
| Colette Maze, a French classical pianist trained by Alfred Cortot and Nadia Boulanger, began recording in her 90s, favored Claude Debussy's music, released her seventh album in 2023 as possibly the oldest recording pianist, and became a social media sensation upon turning 100. |
| Colette Dowling is an American writer and psychotherapist, best known for her 1981 New York Times best-seller The Cinderella Complex. |
| French athlete Colette Besson surprisingly won the 400 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. |
| Colette Audry was a French novelist, screenwriter, and critic. |
| Colette Alliot-Lugaz is a French soprano celebrated for her Mozart roles. |
| Colette Burgeon is a Belgian politician with the Parti Socialiste and the sister of Willy Burgeon. |
| Colette Descombes is a French film actress born on January 26, 1943, in Romans sur Isère, active from 1961 to 1978. |
| Colette Corder was a German actress who performed on stage and in films. |
| Colette Ripert was a French actress best known to English speakers for her role as Tante Georgette in French in Action. |
| Colette Bailly - Colette Jeanne Antonine Bailly was a French pianist and composer who studied under Max Deutsch in Paris and died there in 1976 at age 48. |
| Colette Lucas-Conwell is an American coxswain who won gold and silver at the 2023 Pan American Games and made history as the first female invited to a men's Olympic rowing selection camp in the U.S. |
