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Colm

Colm is a boys' name of Irish origin meaning “dove.” The Irish form of Columba, meaning dove, honoring Saint Colm Cille (Columba), who founded the famous monastery on Iona.

how do you pronounce Colm?

KUL-um

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what does Colm mean?

The name Colm means “dove.” It comes from the Irish language tradition.

The Irish form of Columba, meaning dove, honoring Saint Colm Cille (Columba), who founded the famous monastery on Iona. The name is strongly associated with peace and monastic scholarship. It remains steadfastly popular in Ireland as a name of profound spiritual heritage.

where does the name Colm come from?

Wiktionary and Wikipedia agree Colm means 'dove,' from a Gaelic variation on the Latin columba, and that it is not an Irish form of Colin - like Callum and Malcolm, it shares the same dove root. Wiktionary notes it honors a sixth-century saint, one of the patron saints of Ireland and Scotland.

the history of Colm

Per Wikipedia, the name has been used for over a thousand years in Ireland and Scotland out of respect for St Colmcille of Iona, who came from a royal family in the north of Ireland and evangelized the Scots; the dove is also linked to the Holy Ghost as a religious symbol.

what are the nicknames and variants of Colm?

Variants around the world

CallumCalum

who are famous people named Colm?

  • Colm Tóibín (Irish novelist and essayist)
  • Colm Meaney (Irish actor)

what names are similar to Colm?

what names go well with Colm?

Sibling names that share Colm's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.

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Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial

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