Given name & surname
Cole
“a swarthy woman; having coal-black hair”·“having dark features; having coal-black hair”
Cole is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a swarthy woman; having coal-black hair” (English) and “having dark features; having coal-black hair” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a swarthy woman; having coal-black hair” (English) and “having dark features; having coal-black hair” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is English, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Cole through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 154,646
- 154,093 boys · 553 girls
- Most popular year
- 2002
- 6,054 babies
- 2025
- 2,009
- #182 for boys · #13,569 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,003 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 182 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 26.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 6,038 in 2002. It also appeared in 6 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (161). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 134,580 as a first name in 2020; 187,989 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cole’s family of names
In English usage, Cole is a diminutive of Nicholas. In English usage, Cole has a surname derivative in COLLINGS. In English usage, Cole has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Nicola.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 21
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Cole
- Cole PalmerEnglish footballer (born 2002)
- Cole PorterAmerican composer and songwriter (1891–1964)
- Cole SprouseAmerican actor (born 1992)
- Cole HauserAmerican actorborn 1975
- Cole HockerAmerican middle-distance runnerborn 2001
- Cole AldrichAmerican basketball player (born 1988)
- Cole HamelsAmerican baseball playerborn 1983
- Cole AnthonyAmerican basketball player (born 2000)
- Cole CaufieldAmerican ice hockey playerborn 2001
Characters named Cole: Cole Turner (Charmed).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Cole, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Colby
“from the coal town”
90% boys · 10% girls
Cade
“a precocious young woman” · “one who is round”
>99% boys
Conner
“lover of hounds” · “a wolf-lover”
99% boys · 1% girls
Caden
“a battlemaiden” · “spirt of battle •”
99% boys · 1% girls
Cody
“one who is helpful; a wealthy woman” · “acting as a cushion”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kolton
“from the coal town”
>99% boys
Kody
“one who is helpful”
93% boys · 7% girls
Oscar
“a spear of the gods” · “a friend of deer”
>99% boys