Eileen

Eileen - A very unique female name

Eileen appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #247. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Eileen and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Eileen? 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 Eileen. The baby girl name Eileen was given to 387 baby girls in 2025, ranking #663 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,368 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Eileen peaked in popularity 83 years ago in 1943 on position 68.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Eileen, 1-5?

Eileen is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Eileen is currently topping the baby name charts in Massachusetts at position #360 - and is the least popular in Arizona at position #1,094.

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 Eileen is where you live.

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Eileen origin and meaning

Irish, from Eibhlín

Uncertain — Eibhlín is usually linked to Helen or to the Norman name Aveline, and which line is right is not settled

Eileen is the anglicised form of the Irish Eibhlín, a name that may descend from Greek Helen or from Norman Aveline — scholarship has not decided, and both stories circulate. An American standard of the early 20th century that peaked in 1947, it has lately begun a gentle vintage climb.

Origin uncertain

Eileen is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Eileen

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

Elaine / Ellen / Elena / Eliana / Elaina / Elliana / Elma / Elianna / Elana / Ellianna /

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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 Eileen

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 Eileen 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 Eileen?

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

eye-LEEN · /aɪˈliːn/

Around the world

• Eibhlín (Irish) — The original Irish form of the name.

Spellings and nicknames

• Aileen — The other common anglicised spelling.
• Ilene — A simplified spelling variant.
• Eilene — A rare spelling variant.

Famous bearers

• Eileen Gu — Freestyle skier and Olympic gold medallist (b. 2003) Contemporary
• Eileen Atkins — English actor and screenwriter, co-creator of Upstairs, Downstairs (b. 1934) Contemporary

Style

InternationalVintage revivalClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents are rediscovering Eileen for its Irish lilt and retro softness — and a young Olympic namesake has refreshed it considerably.

Worth knowing

• 'Come On Eileen' will be sung at her for life, and the Aileen/Eileen spelling split causes mix-ups.