Koulson
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly relating to coal or the color blue.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Koulson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Koulson today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Koulson births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Koulson. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Koulson. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,221
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Koulson: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Koulson 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 Koulson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Koulson
The name Koulson is believed to have originated from the Scandinavian languages, specifically Old Norse, during the Viking era around the 8th to 11th centuries. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse words "kol" meaning coal or charcoal, and "son" which was a common suffix denoting a male descendant. Together, the name could be interpreted as "son of the coal maker" or "son of the charcoal burner."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Koulson can be traced back to ancient Norse sagas and historical records of Viking settlements in Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe. It is believed that the name was originally associated with families or individuals involved in the production or trade of charcoal, a valuable commodity during that time.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Koulson was Koulson the Valiant, a Norwegian warrior who fought alongside King Harald Hardrada during the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. While little is known about his personal life, his bravery and loyalty to the king were well-documented in the sagas of the time.
In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Koulson Eriksson was a wealthy landowner and trader in the region of present-day Sweden. He was known for establishing trade routes and fostering economic connections between Scandinavian settlements and other parts of Europe.
During the Middle Ages, the name Koulson appeared in various historical records across northern Europe, including legal documents, tax rolls, and church records. Notable figures included Koulson the Wise, a respected scholar and advisor to the King of Denmark in the 14th century, and Koulson Bjornsson, a skilled shipbuilder from Norway in the late 15th century.
In the early modern period, a Scottish nobleman named Koulson MacKenzie gained prominence in the 16th century for his role in the Scottish Reformation and his support for the Protestant cause. He was a renowned military leader and served as a close advisor to King James VI of Scotland.
While the name Koulson has become less common in modern times, it still carries a rich historical legacy and connections to the Viking era and the cultural heritage of Scandinavia. The name's association with charcoal production and trade, as well as its appearances in ancient sagas and historical records, make it a unique and intriguing part of the onomastic tapestry.
People
Koulson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Koulson 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
Koulson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Koulson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Koulson 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Koulson a common name?
We classify Koulson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Koulson most popular?
The single biggest year for Koulson was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Koulson is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Koulson in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Koulson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Koulson 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.
Is Koulson still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Koulson in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Koulson can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Koulson as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Koulson, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.