Cole
An English surname from the medieval given name Cola, from Old English col, charcoal, likely a byname for someone dark-haired. It also serves as a short form of Nicholas.
Cole in 2025
Cole was given to 2,009 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 340th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 1,650 babies born.
The history of Cole
Cole reached its highest point in 2002, when 6,054 babies were given the name, ranking 115th that year.
Across the 140 years of records since 1886, 154,646 babies have been named Cole. Half of them were born before 2005, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Cole by decade
| Decade | Babies named Cole | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 6 | 1,764 |
| 1890s | 5 | 2,510 |
| 1900s | 16 | 2,723 |
| 1910s | 190 | 1,963 |
| 1920s | 156 | 3,429 |
| 1930s | 127 | 3,282 |
| 1940s | 224 | 2,499 |
| 1950s | 562 | 2,032 |
| 1960s | 703 | 1,834 |
| 1970s | 1,444 | 1,338 |
| 1980s | 8,798 | 424 |
| 1990s | 33,996 | 133 |
| 2000s | 57,013 | 115 |
| 2010s | 36,527 | 150 |
| 2020s | 14,879 | 233 |
Where Cole is heading
Cole has fallen 43% over the past decade, from 3,514 babies in 2015 to 2,009 in 2025.
Names like Cole
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Cole.