Eileen

Meaning: Possibly “desire”
Origin: Via Irish Eibhlín and Norman French Aveline; possibly linked to Germanic Avi (from Germanic via Norman French)

Meaning: Possibly “radiance, beauty”
Origin: Irish — Also used for Éibhleann, possibly from Old Irish oíph

Girl's name · #654 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Few names move less than Eileen — on the books since 1882, #654 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 190,000 girls share it.

Across the states

See where Eileen is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 29 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Eileen ranks in other countries and regions.

#302 in Austria (2025) · #419 in Ecuador (2025) · #457 in Switzerland (2025) · #457 in Ireland (2025) · #502 in Norway (2025) · #651 in Sweden (2025) · #665 in Scotland (2025) · #737 in Netherlands (2025) · #751 in Belgium (2025) · #822 in England & Wales (2025) · #840 in Mexico (2024) · #897 in France (2025) and 1 more.

Famous Eileens

Eileen Collins — Astronaut and United States Air Force pilot
Eileen Gu — American-born Chinese freestyle skier (born 2003)
Eileen Chang — Chinese-born American essayist, novelist, and screenwriter (1920–1995)
Eileen Heckart — American actress (1919–2001)
Eileen Brennan — American actress and singer (1932–2013)

In stories & tradition

Eileen Prince — Harry Potter (novel series)
Eileen Grimshaw — Coronation Street (TV series)

What Eileens become

Among 656 notable people named Eileen:

Entertainers appear 1.55× more often than among typical names — e.g. Eileen Chang, Chinese-born American essayist, novelist, and screenwriter (1920–1995).

Similar names: Aileen · Loretta · Iliana · Priscilla · Lynn · Robyn

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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