Kolbi
Scandinavian diminutive form of the masculine name Kolbein, meaning "coal-black" or "dark complexion".
Name Census estimates that about 1,133 living Americans carry the first name Kolbi. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 72.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Kolbi today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kolbi births was 2010 (53 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kolbi. 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.
Key insights
- • Kolbi is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 302,519 Americans
Peak year
2010
53 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,819
Tracked since 1984
Gender
Gender distribution for Kolbi
Kolbi is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,150 total registrations, 318 (27.7%) were male and 832 (72.3%) were female.
Kolbi as a male name
- Ranked #13,324 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2001 (21 births)
Kolbi as a female name
- Ranked #4,819 in 2024
- 28 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2011 (38 births)
Popularity
Kolbi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kolbi from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 387 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kolbi remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kolbi 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 Kolbi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kolbis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kolbi
The name Kolbi is believed to have its roots in the Scandinavian languages, particularly in Old Norse. It is thought to be derived from the word "kolbringr," which means "charcoal bringer" or "coal merchant." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals involved in the coal or charcoal trade.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Kolbi can be traced back to the Viking Age, around the 8th to 11th centuries CE. During this period, the name was primarily found in the regions of modern-day Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Some historical records from this era mention individuals bearing the name Kolbi, but specific details about their lives and accomplishments are scarce.
In the Middle Ages, the name Kolbi appears to have been relatively uncommon, with few historical figures of note bearing this name. However, one notable individual was Kolbi Arnfinnsson, a Norwegian chieftain from the 13th century who played a role in the disputes between King Haakon IV of Norway and the Icelandic chieftains.
As time progressed, the name Kolbi continued to be used sporadically in Scandinavian regions, though its popularity waned in comparison to other names. One prominent figure bearing this name was Kolbi Árnason, a 16th-century Icelandic bishop and scholar who translated several works into Icelandic.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Kolbi was Kolbi Rushfeldt, a Norwegian explorer and mountaineer from the early 20th century. He was renowned for his expeditions to Greenland and his ascents of several peaks in the Arctic regions. Kolbi Rushfeldt was born in 1887 and died in 1967.
Another notable figure was Kolbi Gudnason, an Icelandic painter and artist who lived from 1912 to 1986. His works, which often depicted Icelandic landscapes and rural life, are considered significant contributions to the country's artistic heritage.
While the name Kolbi has its origins in Scandinavian languages and cultures, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with strong Nordic influences or connections. However, the historical and cultural significance of the name remains deeply rooted in its Scandinavian heritage.
People
Kolbi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kolbi 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
Kolbi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kolbi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,133 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kolbi 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 302,519 US residents.
Is Kolbi a common name?
We classify Kolbi as "Rare". It ranks above 90.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,150 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kolbi most popular?
The single biggest year for Kolbi was 2010, when 53 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kolbi is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kolbi a female name?
Yes, 72.3% of people registered as Kolbi in the SSA data are female. 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.