Kohl
A German masculine name ultimately derived from the German word for charcoal.
Name Census estimates that about 1,713 living Americans carry the first name Kohl. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kohl today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kohl births was 2001 (98 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kohl. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.7K
~ 1 in 200,090 Americans
Peak year
2001
98 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,031
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Kohl: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kohl from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 721 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kohl by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Kohl during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kohls live
The SSA's state-level files cover 17 states and territories. California, Texas, Washington recorded the most babies named Kohl, while Oregon, Nevada, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kohl
The name Kohl is believed to have originated from the German language, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old High German word "kohil," which means "soot" or "charcoal." This connection likely stems from the ancient practice of using soot or charcoal as a cosmetic substance for darkening the eyelids and eyebrows, a tradition that was particularly prominent in the Middle East and parts of Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kohl can be found in historical records from the 13th century, where it appears as a surname in various regions of modern-day Germany. However, its usage as a given name became more prevalent in the later centuries, particularly among German-speaking communities.
In terms of historical references, the name Kohl does not seem to have any direct associations with ancient texts, religious scriptures, or notable historical figures from antiquity. Its origins and meaning are primarily rooted in the practical and cultural use of soot or charcoal as a cosmetic substance.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kohl. One of the earliest recorded examples is Kohl von Bucheleben (c. 1300-1366), a German nobleman and knight who participated in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War. Another prominent figure was Johann Peter Kohl (1808-1878), a German explorer and writer who documented his travels in various parts of the world, including North America and Russia.
In more recent times, Helmut Kohl (1930-2017) stands out as one of the most famous individuals with the name Kohl. He served as the Chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990 and later as the first Chancellor of reunified Germany until 1998. Kohl played a pivotal role in the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, and his legacy is deeply intertwined with this historic event.
Other notable individuals with the name Kohl include Herbert Kohl (1919-1994), an American educator and author known for his work on alternative education methods, and Kohl Sudduth (born 1985), an American actor best known for his role in the television series "Friday Night Lights."
While the name Kohl may have humble origins, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, explorers, political leaders, educators, and actors, reflecting the diverse paths that a name can take throughout history.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kohl
People
Kohl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kohl as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kohl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kohl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,713 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kohl going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 200,090 US residents.
Is Kohl a common name?
We classify Kohl as "Rare". It ranks above 93% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,742 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kohl most popular?
The single biggest year for Kohl was 2001, when 98 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kohl is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kohl a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kohl in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.