Cole Boy

Popularity: #180 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

CodyColtonColinCameronCalebConnor

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.

ColinColemanColbyColterCaleKoleKolemanKollin

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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,009 2,003 6
2024 2,230 2,224 6
2023 2,378 2,364 14
2022 2,634 2,626 8
2021 2,847 2,835 12
2020 2,781 2,771 10
2019 3,109 3,093 16
2018 3,361 3,348 13
2017 3,480 3,468 12
2016 3,622 3,604 18
2015 3,514 3,499 15
2014 3,435 3,426 9
2013 3,467 3,454 13
2012 3,791 3,779 12
2011 4,153 4,140 13
2010 4,595 4,590 5
2009 5,292 5,278 14
2008 5,408 5,389 19
2007 5,717 5,703 14
2006 5,672 5,640 32
2005 5,601 5,587 14
2004 5,671 5,648 23
2003 5,903 5,898 5
2002 6,054 6,038 16
2001 5,751 5,739 12
2000 5,944 5,926 18
1999 5,332 5,317 15
1998 5,160 5,148 12
1997 5,174 5,159 15
1996 3,749 3,737 12
1995 3,165 3,150 15
1994 3,313 3,302 11
1993 2,675 2,665 10
1992 2,326 2,312 14
1991 1,991 1,978 13
1990 1,111 1,100 11
1989 916 909 7
1988 909 904 5
1987 1,010 1,003 7
1986 1,081 1,070 11
1985 1,185 1,185 0
1984 1,177 1,163 14
1983 1,126 1,112 14
1982 818 806 12
1981 299 299 0
1980 277 271 6
1979 158 158 0
1978 149 149 0
1977 157 157 0
1976 144 144 0
1975 158 158 0
1974 181 181 0
1973 159 159 0
1972 140 140 0
1971 99 99 0
1970 99 99 0
1969 83 83 0
1968 69 69 0
1967 53 53 0
1966 50 50 0
1965 68 68 0
1964 64 64 0
1963 63 63 0
1962 83 83 0
1961 98 98 0
1960 72 72 0
1959 69 69 0
1958 72 72 0
1957 73 73 0
1956 61 61 0
1955 62 62 0
1954 64 64 0
1953 40 40 0
1952 43 43 0
1951 50 50 0
1950 28 28 0
1949 30 30 0
1948 40 40 0
1947 34 34 0
1946 18 18 0
1945 8 8 0
1944 12 12 0
1943 22 22 0
1942 28 28 0
1941 22 22 0
1940 10 10 0
1939 7 7 0
1938 12 12 0
1937 12 12 0
1936 14 14 0
1935 9 9 0
1934 18 18 0
1933 10 10 0
1932 18 18 0
1931 16 16 0
1930 11 11 0
1929 13 13 0
1928 15 15 0
1927 10 10 0
1926 16 16 0
1925 18 18 0
1924 16 16 0
1923 21 21 0
1922 18 18 0
1921 19 19 0
1920 10 10 0
1919 22 22 0
1918 17 17 0
1917 19 19 0
1916 25 25 0
1915 26 26 0
1914 23 23 0
1913 19 19 0
1912 23 23 0
1911 10 10 0
1910 6 6 0
1909 5 5 0
1907 5 5 0
1900 6 6 0
1899 5 5 0
1886 6 6 0

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
PA 187
8%
NY 156
7%
CA 141
6%
TX 127
6%
FL 106
5%
NJ 96
4%
OH 93
4%
IL 87
4%
MA 86
4%
NC 75
3%
MI 74
3%
VA 57
3%
WI 57
3%
CT 56
3%
MO 51
2%
TN 44
2%
GA 43
2%
WA 42
2%
LA 41
2%
UT 41
2%
CO 40
2%
SC 39
2%
IN 39
2%
MD 38
2%
KY 36
2%
AZ 35
2%
NH 29
1%
MN 27
1%
IA 25
1%
AR 23
1%
OK 22
1%
AL 19
1%
NV 18
1%
NE 15
1%
RI 15
1%
ME 15
1%
WV 15
1%
OR 13
1%
ID 13
1%
MS 13
1%
KS 12
1%
MT 11
0%
DE 11
0%
AK 7
0%
NM 6
0%
DC 6
0%
SD 5
0%