Cole first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Cole has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Cole

A masculine name of English origin meaning "swarthy" or "coal black".

Popularity of Cole by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Cole is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Cole being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,359 male babies and 14 female babies born with the name Cole.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 14 baby girls were named Cole in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 2,359 14
2022 2,611 8
2021 2,832 12
2020 2,766 10
2019 3,088 16
2018 3,346 13
2017 3,466 12
2016 3,600 18
2015 3,498 15
2014 3,425 9
2013 3,451 13
2012 3,778 12
2011 4,138 13
2010 4,589 5
2009 5,277 14
2008 5,389 19
2007 5,703 14
2006 5,638 32
2005 5,587 14
2004 5,645 23
2003 5,899 5
2002 6,037 16
2001 5,739 12
2000 5,926 18
1999 5,317 15
1998 5,148 12
1997 5,158 15
1996 3,737 12
1995 3,148 15
1994 3,301 11
1993 2,663 10
1992 2,312 14
1991 1,979 13
1990 1,097 11
1989 908 7
1988 903 5
1987 1,003 7
1986 1,069 11
1985 1,185 0
1984 1,164 14
1983 1,111 14
1982 812 12
1981 299 0
1980 272 6
1979 158 0
1978 149 0
1977 157 0
1976 144 0
1975 158 0
1974 181 0

The history of the first name Cole

The name Cole has its origins in an Old English word "col" which means "swarthy" or "coal-black". It arose as a nickname referring to a person with dark features or complexion. The name first appeared in medieval England during the 11th century.

Cole is a derived form of the medieval name Coll, a shortened version of the Germanic name Kolbain or Kolbrand, meaning "black stranger". Variations of the name include Col, Coll, and Colle, which were common spellings in medieval records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Cole Lukyn, a member of the English Parliament who lived in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Cole Porter, the American composer and songwriter (1891-1964), known for his sophisticated lyrics and melodies in musicals like "Anything Goes" and "Kiss Me, Kate".

In the 16th century, Sir Cole of Gascony was a renowned knight who fought alongside King Arthur in the Arthurian legends. Although a fictional character, he was depicted as a brave and loyal companion to the legendary British king.

Nathaniel Cole, better known as Nat King Cole (1919-1965), was an influential American singer and jazz pianist. He popularized many hits like "Unforgettable" and "Mona Lisa", and was a pioneer in breaking racial barriers in the entertainment industry.

Another notable figure was Samuel Cole (1809-1892), an American manufacturer who founded the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, one of the oldest railroads in the United States.

Herman Cole (1644-1692) was a British pirate and privateer who operated in the Caribbean during the late 17th century. He was known for his daring raids and infamous exploits, which made him a legendary figure in maritime history.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Cole was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cole, please contact us.

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Cole first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/cole-meaning-and-history/.

"Cole first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/cole-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Cole first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/cole-meaning-and-history/.

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