Aileen

Aileen - A very unique female name

Aileen appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #399. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Aileen and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Aileen? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Aileen. The baby girl name Aileen was given to 287 baby girls in 2025, ranking #813 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,542 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Aileen peaked in popularity 100 years ago in 1926 on position 290.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Aileen, 1-5?

Aileen is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Aileen is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #381 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,329.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Aileen is where you live.

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Aileen origin and meaning

Irish and Scottish form of Eileen

Uncertain — Eileen, the name Aileen varies, is itself debated: an Irish form of Aveline/Evelyn or a form of Helen, 'light,' are both argued

Aileen is the spelling of Eileen favoured in Scotland and in much American use. It shared the Eileen family's early-20th-century popularity, peaked for this spelling in 2009, and has been falling since — today it reads as a gentle, slightly old-fashioned Irish choice.

Origin uncertain

Aileen is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Aileen, pop culture references for the name Aileen and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Aileen

We've found the following names that sound similar to Aileen, sorted by popularity.

Alma / Alana / Alaina / Alina / Alayna / Alanna / Alani / Aylin / Alena / Aleena /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Aileen

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Aileen a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Aileen?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ay-LEEN · /eɪˈliːn/
ay-LEEN and eye-LEEN are both standard; families pick one and stick to it.

Around the world

• Eibhlín (Irish) — The Irish-language name behind the Eileen/Aileen family

Spellings and nicknames

• Eileen — The more common spelling, a separate established name
• Ayleen — Respelling in recent use
• Aleene — Rare respelling

Famous bearers

• Aileen Quinn — American actress who played the title role in the 1982 film Annie as a child (b. 1971) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Aileen is soft and lilting — an Irish classic in a spelling that feels a touch more modern than Eileen, now well past its peak.

Worth knowing

• Aileen Wuornos, the executed serial killer, is an unavoidable association for many adults
• ay-LEEN versus eye-LEEN must be settled, and Eileen spellings will be assumed