Eileen

/aɪˈliːn/

//aɪˈliːn// name

"eileen" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Eileen” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,550. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,550
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female given name from Irish.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Eileen vs ellen
50% similar
Eileen vs elven
50% similar
Eileen vs eleven
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Eileen
PropertyValue
HeadwordEileen
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/aɪˈliːn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#18,550
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Eileen” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Eileen lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around Eileen (IPA /aɪˈliːn/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #18,550 among 18,836 “E” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A female given name from Irish.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Eileen, with forms such as "eielen", "eileenn", and "eilen". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "ellen", "elven", "eleven", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Anglicized form of Irish Eibhlín, Eilín or Aibhilín, all cognates of Evelyn. Sometimes also used for the Irish name Éibhleann, possibly from Old Irish oíph (“radiance, beauty”). The correct English form is Eileen, spelled E-I-L-E-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A female given name from Irish.

Etymology

Anglicized form of Irish Eibhlín, Eilín or Aibhilín, all cognates of Evelyn. Sometimes also used for the Irish name Éibhleann, possibly from Old Irish oíph (“radiance, beauty”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eielen
  • eileenn
  • eilen
  • eilene
  • eilleen
  • elieen
  • ieleen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Eileen - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eielen2eileenn1eilen1eilene2eilleen1elieen2ieleen2
Edit distance from "Eileen"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Eileen"?
"Eileen" is spelled E-I-L-E-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /aɪˈliːn/.
What does "Eileen" mean?
As a proper noun, "Eileen" means: A female given name from Irish.
What words are commonly confused with "Eileen"?
"Eileen" is commonly confused with "ellen", "elven", "eleven". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Eileen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Eileen" is /aɪˈliːn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Eileen"?
Anglicized form of Irish Eibhlín, Eilín or Aibhilín, all cognates of Evelyn. Sometimes also used for the Irish name Éibhleann, possibly from Old Irish oíph (“radiance, beauty”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Eileen”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-I-L-E-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /aɪˈliːn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ellen” - see the side-by-side comparison. Eileen vs ellen
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list