boy's name
Cole
KOHL
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 185,585
the United States
#183
2025 births
Cole is a boy's name of Old English origin meaning "coal-black" or "swarthy." It began as a nickname for someone dark-haired, from col, charcoal, and is also a short form of Nicholas.
- Cole is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2002, when 6,054 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,650 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1886.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Cole over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6 |
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 16 |
| 1910s | 190 |
| 1920s | 156 |
| 1930s | 127 |
| 1940s | 224 |
| 1950s | 562 |
| 1960s | 703 |
| 1970s | 1,444 |
| 1980s | 8,798 |
| 1990s | 33,996 |
| 2000s | 57,013 |
| 2010s | 36,527 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 14,879 |
What Cole means
Cole means coal-black, describing dark hair or complexion. Taken as a short form of Nicholas it means victory of the people instead — two unrelated sources reaching one spelling.
Where Cole comes from
Cole comes from the Old English col, coal or charcoal, used as a byname for someone with dark hair. It also descends from Nicholas by way of the medieval pet form Colin, which is why some bearers have a Greek rather than an English origin. Old King Cole of the nursery rhyme is traditionally identified with Coel Hen, a fifth-century British ruler of the north, though the connection is legendary rather than documented. Cole Porter and Nat King Cole carry the surname.
Cole in use
Our data shows Cole falling, peaking in 2002, at 179 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1886. Its 2002 peak places it with Connor, Ryan and Jordan — the cohort of short surname-names that rose and fell together across roughly twenty years.
How popular is Cole?
In 2025, Cole was given to 2,009 babies in the United States, ranking #183 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Cole is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Cole
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Cole also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Cole over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Cole in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Cole
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Cole — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Cole
What does the name Cole mean?
Cole means "coal-black," from the Old English col — or "victory of the people" if it stands for Nicholas.
Is Cole short for Nicholas?
It can be, through the medieval pet form Colin. It is also an independent Old English byname.
Who was Old King Cole?
Traditionally identified with Coel Hen, a fifth-century British ruler of the north — though the link is legendary.
How popular is the name Cole?
In 2025, Cole was given to 2,009 babies in the United States, ranking #183 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Cole a girl's or a boy's name?
Cole is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Cole?
Cole has 1 syllable.
When was Cole most popular?
Cole peaked in 2002, when 6,054 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Cole a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Cole currently ranks #68 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.