Boy nameCurrently #162 in the USFalling
Cole
KOHL//koʊl//
1 syllablePeak year: 20024 lettersStarts with C
Meaning & origin
Coal-black, or short form of Nicholas
Cole comes from an English surname possibly referring to coal-black hair or complexion, and can also serve as a short form of Nicholas or Colin. Its crisp, one-syllable strength made it a popular choice from the 1990s onward.
Cole's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Cole |
|---|---|
| 1886 | 6 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1912 | 23 |
| 1913 | 19 |
| 1914 | 23 |
| 1915 | 26 |
| 1916 | 25 |
| 1917 | 19 |
| 1918 | 17 |
| 1919 | 22 |
| 1920 | 10 |
| 1921 | 19 |
| 1922 | 18 |
| 1923 | 21 |
| 1924 | 16 |
| 1925 | 18 |
| 1926 | 16 |
| 1927 | 10 |
| 1928 | 15 |
| 1929 | 13 |
| 1930 | 11 |
| 1931 | 16 |
| 1932 | 18 |
| 1933 | 10 |
| 1934 | 18 |
| 1935 | 9 |
| 1936 | 14 |
| 1937 | 12 |
| 1938 | 12 |
| 1939 | 7 |
| 1940 | 10 |
| 1941 | 22 |
| 1942 | 28 |
| 1943 | 22 |
| 1944 | 12 |
| 1945 | 8 |
| 1946 | 18 |
| 1947 | 34 |
| 1948 | 40 |
| 1949 | 30 |
| 1950 | 28 |
| 1951 | 50 |
| 1952 | 43 |
| 1953 | 40 |
| 1954 | 64 |
| 1955 | 62 |
| 1956 | 61 |
| 1957 | 73 |
| 1958 | 72 |
| 1959 | 69 |
| 1960 | 72 |
| 1961 | 98 |
| 1962 | 83 |
| 1963 | 63 |
| 1964 | 64 |
| 1965 | 68 |
| 1966 | 50 |
| 1967 | 53 |
| 1968 | 69 |
| 1969 | 83 |
| 1970 | 99 |
| 1971 | 99 |
| 1972 | 139 |
| 1973 | 159 |
| 1974 | 181 |
| 1975 | 158 |
| 1976 | 144 |
| 1977 | 157 |
| 1978 | 149 |
| 1979 | 158 |
| 1980 | 278 |
| 1981 | 299 |
| 1982 | 818 |
| 1983 | 1,126 |
| 1984 | 1,177 |
| 1985 | 1,185 |
| 1986 | 1,081 |
| 1987 | 1,010 |
| 1988 | 908 |
| 1989 | 916 |
| 1990 | 1,110 |
| 1991 | 1,992 |
| 1992 | 2,326 |
| 1993 | 2,675 |
| 1994 | 3,312 |
| 1995 | 3,164 |
| 1996 | 3,749 |
| 1997 | 5,174 |
| 1998 | 5,160 |
| 1999 | 5,332 |
| 2000 | 5,944 |
| 2001 | 5,751 |
| 2002 | 6,054 |
| 2003 | 5,903 |
| 2004 | 5,671 |
| 2005 | 5,601 |
| 2006 | 5,671 |
| 2007 | 5,717 |
| 2008 | 5,408 |
| 2009 | 5,292 |
| 2010 | 4,595 |
| 2011 | 4,153 |
| 2012 | 3,791 |
| 2013 | 3,466 |
| 2014 | 3,435 |
| 2015 | 3,514 |
| 2016 | 3,621 |
| 2017 | 3,479 |
| 2018 | 3,360 |
| 2019 | 3,107 |
| 2020 | 2,778 |
| 2021 | 2,846 |
| 2022 | 2,633 |
| 2023 | 2,377 |
| 2024 | 2,224 |
Cole through the decades
- Cole peaked in 2002, when 6,054 babies were named Cole in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Cole has fallen 36% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Cole currently ranks #162 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Cole
Variants & spellings
Coal