Cullen

Meaning & origin

Cullen is a name with Irish and Scottish roots, traditionally a surname meaning 'holly tree' or 'holly grove'. As a given name, it has been in use in the United States since at least 1880, when it first appeared in Social Security records. Its popularity peaked in 2010, after which it has been on a steady decline; by 2025 it ranked 1,108th, with about 1 in 8,805 boys receiving the name that year. The name has maintained a consistent presence, particularly in states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Minnesota, which were the top three states for Cullen in recent years. While it never reached the top 100, Cullen has carved out a niche as a distinctive yet familiar choice, often associated with the character from the TV series 'Hell on Wheels' which aired from 2011 to 2016. Its trajectory has been falling since its peak year, but it remains a recognizable name with a strong cultural and botanical meaning.

Cullen is an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuileáin, meaning 'descendant of Cuileán', a personal name likely derived from cuileann, the Irish word for holly. In some cases, it may also originate from the Scottish place name Cullen in Moray. The name has been used as a given name in English-speaking countries since the 20th century, particularly in the United States, where it saw a rise in popularity in the late 2000s and early 2010s, likely influenced by the character Dr. Cullen Bohannon in the television series 'Hell on Wheels' (2011-2016) and by the surname of the fictional Cullen family in the 'Twilight' series (2005-2008), though the connection to the latter is not definitively established as a direct influence on naming trends.