Cole Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KOHL //koʊl//
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: swarthy; Latin: victory
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Cole has its roots in Old English, derived from the word "cola," which means "charcoal" or "swarthy." This term is believed to have originated from the Proto-Germanic *kula, which also relates to the Old Norse word "koli," meaning "coal." The name evolved through various forms, including the Old English "Cola," before being adopted into Middle English as "Cole." It was later incorporated into the modern English lexicon, where it has been used both as a surname and a given name. Historically, the name Cole has been associated with several notable figures.
In the medieval period, it was not uncommon for individuals to be named after their occupations or physical characteristics, which is likely how Cole became a common name. The name appears in various historical texts, and its use can be traced back to the 12th century in England.
Additionally, the name has biblical connections, as it is sometimes linked to the Hebrew name "Kole," which means "whole" or "sound." This connection may have contributed to its acceptance in Christian communities, particularly during the Middle Ages when biblical names were favored. Culturally, the name Cole has resonated through literature and folklore, often symbolizing strength and resilience, akin to the enduring nature of charcoal as a source of heat and energy.
The name has been used in various literary works and has been associated with characters that embody these traits. Diminutive forms such as "Col" have emerged, but the name Cole itself has maintained its significance over the centuries.
Its associations with warmth and strength have helped it endure as a recognizable name throughout history.
Famous people named Cole
In this section, you will find notable people named Cole. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cole who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Cole who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Cole Sprouse is an actor best known for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Riverdale, and Five Feet Apart.
Cole Porter was a composer and songwriter best known for Anything Goes, Kiss Me, Kate, and Night and Day.
Cole Hauser is an actor best known for Good Will Hunting, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Yellowstone.
Cole Beasley is a professional football player best known for his time with the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills.
Cole Anthony is a professional basketball player best known for playing with the Orlando Magic and North Carolina Tar Heels.
Fictional characters named Cole
The following list of fictional characters named Cole is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Cole Turner is a fictional character from the TV series Charmed. He is a half-demon who becomes a significant love interest for one of the main characters, Phoebe Halliwell.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cole, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cole. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Cole was first seen in the United States in 1886.
Cole has ranked as high as #115 nationally, which occurred in 2002, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Cole has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Cole is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cole was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Cole (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 187 | |
| NY | 156 | |
| CA | 141 | |
| TX | 127 | |
| FL | 106 | |
| OH | 93 | |
| IL | 87 | |
| MA | 86 | |
| NC | 75 | |
| MI | 74 | |
| VA | 57 | |
| WI | 57 | |
| CT | 56 | |
| MO | 51 | |
| TN | 44 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cole.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,219 |
| 2023 | 2,363 |
| 2022 | 2,625 |
| 2021 | 2,834 |
| 2020 | 2,768 |
| 2019 | 3,091 |
| 2018 | 3,347 |
| 2017 | 3,467 |
| 2016 | 3,603 |
| 2015 | 3,499 |
| 2014 | 3,426 |
| 2013 | 3,453 |
| 2012 | 3,779 |
| 2011 | 4,140 |
| 2010 | 4,590 |
| 2009 | 5,278 |
| 2008 | 5,389 |
| 2007 | 5,703 |
| 2006 | 5,639 |
| 2005 | 5,587 |
| 2004 | 5,648 |
| 2003 | 5,898 |
| 2002 | 6,038 |
| 2001 | 5,739 |
| 2000 | 5,926 |
| 1999 | 5,317 |
| 1998 | 5,148 |
| 1997 | 5,159 |
| 1996 | 3,737 |
| 1995 | 3,149 |
| 1994 | 3,301 |
| 1993 | 2,665 |
| 1992 | 2,312 |
| 1991 | 1,979 |
| 1990 | 1,099 |
| 1989 | 909 |
| 1988 | 903 |
| 1987 | 1,003 |
| 1986 | 1,070 |
| 1985 | 1,185 |
| 1984 | 1,163 |
| 1983 | 1,112 |
| 1982 | 806 |
| 1981 | 299 |
| 1980 | 272 |
| 1979 | 158 |
| 1978 | 149 |
| 1977 | 157 |
| 1976 | 144 |
| 1975 | 158 |
| 1974 | 181 |
| 1973 | 159 |
| 1972 | 139 |
| 1971 | 99 |
| 1970 | 99 |
| 1969 | 83 |
| 1968 | 69 |
| 1967 | 53 |
| 1966 | 50 |
| 1965 | 68 |
| 1964 | 64 |
| 1963 | 63 |
| 1962 | 83 |
| 1961 | 98 |
| 1960 | 72 |
| 1959 | 69 |
| 1958 | 72 |
| 1957 | 73 |
| 1956 | 61 |
| 1955 | 62 |
| 1954 | 64 |
| 1953 | 40 |
| 1952 | 43 |
| 1951 | 50 |
| 1950 | 28 |
| 1949 | 30 |
| 1948 | 40 |
| 1947 | 34 |
| 1946 | 18 |
| 1945 | 8 |
| 1944 | 12 |
| 1943 | 22 |
| 1942 | 28 |
| 1941 | 22 |
| 1940 | 10 |
| 1939 | 7 |
| 1938 | 12 |
| 1937 | 12 |
| 1936 | 14 |
| 1935 | 9 |
| 1934 | 18 |
| 1933 | 10 |
| 1932 | 18 |
| 1931 | 16 |
| 1930 | 11 |
| 1929 | 13 |
| 1928 | 15 |
| 1927 | 10 |
| 1926 | 16 |
| 1925 | 18 |
| 1924 | 16 |
| 1923 | 21 |
| 1922 | 18 |
| 1921 | 19 |
| 1920 | 10 |
| 1919 | 22 |
| 1918 | 17 |
| 1917 | 19 |
| 1916 | 25 |
| 1915 | 26 |
| 1914 | 23 |
| 1913 | 19 |
| 1912 | 23 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1886 | 6 |