Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Coleman
“one who burns charcoal; resembling a dove”
Coleman is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who burns charcoal; resembling a dove.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who burns charcoal; resembling a dove.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English and Irish use, Coleman has a related form in Colman. The history of Colman gives this family its wider story. Colman’s historical associations include a large number of early Irish saints, including Colman of Armagh, a 5th-century disciple of St Patrick.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Coleman through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 17,628
- 17,599 boys · 29 girls
- Most popular year
- 1997
- 420 babies
- 2025
- 148
- #1,311 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −21%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 148 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,311 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 420 in 1997. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,573 as a first name in 2020; 211,259 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.
Coleman’s family of names
Coleman has a related form in Colm. Coleman has a related form in Colman. Coleman has a related form in Colman.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Coleman
- Coleman HawkinsAmerican jazz saxophonist (1904–1969)
- Coleman ScottOlympic wrestlerborn 1986
- Coleman FrancisAmerican film director and actor (1919-1973)
- Coleman BarksAmerican poet1937–2026
- Coleman YoungAmerican politician (1918–1997)
- Coleman WongHong Kong tennis player (born 2004)
- Cole L. BleaseAmerican politician (1868-1942)
- Coleman CollinsAmerican basketball player (born 1986)
- Coleman LindseyAmerican politician and judge1892–1968
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Coleman, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Keenan
“a small woman” · “of an ancient family”
>99% boys
Kolby
“a dark-haired man”
84% boys · 16% girls
Quinton
“from the queen's town or settlement”
>99% boys
Duncan
“a dark warrior”
>99% boys
Kody
“one who is helpful”
93% boys · 7% girls
Conor
“lover of hounds” · “a wolf-lover”
>99% boys
Brendan
“born to royalty; a prince”
>99% boys
Colby
“from the coal town”
90% boys · 10% girls