Cole
Cole is a given name of English origin, originally used as an English surname. It is of Middle English origin, and its meaning is "swarthy, coal-black, charcoal".
- English
Meaning & Origin of Cole
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cole is a given name of English origin, originally used as an English surname. It is of Middle English origin, and its meaning is "swarthy, coal-black, charcoal".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Cole
The earliest SSA record of Cole as a baby boy name dates back to 1886, when 6 babies received it. 2002 was its biggest year on record, with 6,038 newborns named Cole — #69 in the national rankings. About 36% of every Cole on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Cole ranks #171 for baby boys with 2,113 births, falling sharply (-26%). All told, over 156K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Cole
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cole. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Cole
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Fictional characters
- See also
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Cole
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cole is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cole
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In which U.S. states is Cole most popular?
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About the name Cole
Cole is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 156K births in the dataset. Cole's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #69. Use the chart and map above to compare Cole's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2002 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.