Cole
Cole was the 182nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,003 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 69th with 6,038 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 67 places. More babies were named Cole in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · English
Say it KOHL /koʊl/
- Rank in 2025
- #182 boys, down 49 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,003boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20026,038 babies
- Total since 1880
- 154,646babies recorded
What does the name Cole mean?
Cole has several origins as a surname. Wiktionary and Wikipedia list an English nickname from Old English col, 'coal', for someone with dark hair or a swarthy look; a medieval pet form of Nicholas; and Americanized forms of German Kohl and Dutch Kool. Wiktionary also notes a link with the Irish and Scottish McCool. As a boy's first name Cole is a transferred surname, sometimes also a short form of Nicholas or Colton.
col (Old English, “coal”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Multiple surname sources; 'coal-black' is the most commonly given, but the name may be a pet form of Nicholas for some families.
Related names: Kole, Coleman, Colton, Nicholas.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Cole', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Cole (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Cole popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 553 since 1980, 6 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #182 | 2,003 |
| 2020 | #133 | 2,771 |
| 2010 | #90 | 4,590 |
| 2000 | #71 | 5,926 |
| 1990 | #248 | 1,100 |
| 1980 | #516 | 271 |
| 1970 | #812 | 99 |
| 1960 | #892 | 72 |
| 1950 | #1,369 | 28 |
| 1940 | #2,354 | 10 |
| 1930 | #2,473 | 11 |
| 1920 | #2,806 | 10 |
| 1910 | #1,456 | 6 |
| 1900 | #1,194 | 6 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Cole, counting every spelling?
Cole is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #179 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #182 for Cole on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,211 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cole | 2,003 | #182 | 12,052 |
| Kole | 160 | #1,247 | 1,046 |
| Kol | 24 | #4,326 | 180 |
| Kohl | 17 | #5,507 | 82 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Cole?
2,003 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Cole (0.56 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Cole born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 4 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Cole.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Cole?
About 150,100 people born in the US named Cole are alive today, with a median age of 21; half are between 13 and 28. That makes Cole mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Cole by state
How common Cole was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Hampshire (3.7×), Rhode Island (3.4×), Connecticut (2.6×), Massachusetts (2.5×), Maine (2.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in North Dakota, Texas, Vermont.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Cole: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Cole, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Cole · Sibling names for Cole
Cole is also a nickname for Coleson.
Questions about the name Cole
What does Cole mean?
The origin of Cole is uncertain: Multiple surname sources; 'coal-black' is the most commonly given, but the name may be a pet form of Nicholas for some families.
How popular is the name Cole?
Cole was the 182nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,003 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 69th with 6,038 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 67 places. More babies were named Cole in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Cole a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Cole in the US.
Where is Cole most popular?
In 2021–2025, Cole was most common in New Hampshire (5.22 per 1,000 boys), followed by Rhode Island and Connecticut.