Is your given name, colleen, a first in your family tree?Part of a cultural tradition?Ancestry® can tell you your first name’s origins plus its meaning.The name colleen is of irish origin and is derived from the irish word cailín, which means girl or young woman. it is a diminutive form of the irish word, emphasizing youth and endearment.Colleen is an english-language name of irish origin.It derives from the irish word cailín girl/woman, the diminutive of caile woman, countrywoman.