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Cole as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Cole

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The baby name Cole is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /koʊl/.

Cole is English in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /koʊl/

What is the meaning of the name Cole ?

The baby name Cole is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /koʊl/.

Cole is English in Origin.

Cole stems from two intertwined sources. As an English surname, it comes from Old English col, meaning “coal, charcoal,” once a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion; the legendary “Old King Cole” preserves this usage. In medieval England Cole also served as a short form of Nicholas (Greek Nikolaos, “victory of the people”), giving the name a second, heroic meaning line.

Used as both surname and given name since the Middle Ages, Cole found fresh energy in the late 20th century, especially in the United States. Its crisp, one-syllable sound and cultural touchpoints - composer Cole Porter and singer Nat King Cole - have sustained its stylish profile. Variants and related forms include Kole (modern respelling), Col (short form), Colin (a diminutive descendant), and Nicholas/Nico. Meanings range from “coal-black” to “victory of the people.”

Cole has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Cole

Cole Sprouse Actor · Born 1992 · United States Cole Sprouse is an American actor best known for his role as Jughead Jones on the TV series Riverdale. He also starred alongside his twin brother Dylan in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Born in 1992, Cole has been acting since childhood and has appeared in various films and television shows throughout his career. Cole Hauser Actor · Born 1975 · United States Cole Hauser is an American actor best known for his role as Rip Wheeler on the television series Yellowstone. He has also appeared in films like Good Will Hunting and 2 Fast 2 Furious. Born in 1975, Hauser has built a solid career in both film and television.

Cole – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
New Zealand Boys 2009 #64 60 100
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
SI 0 #80 1 1,612
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
GE Girls 0 #108 1 1,564
PH 0 #109 2 5,607
GE Boys 0 #110 1 2,055
EC 0 #120 2 2,502
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
Canada Boys 2024 #145 188 2,588
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
RS Boys 0 #154 1 2,277
United States Boys 2024 #156 2,219 7,044
CR 0 #162 4 5,526
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
SI Boys 0 #210 2 3,402
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
NA Boys 0 #226 10 6,830
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
GH 0 #246 3 5,396
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
NG 0 #250 15 5,926
TW Boys 0 #252 5 7,111
HR Boys 0 #258 2 3,997
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
JM Girls 0 #275 4 7,507
SG 0 #278 5 11,010
JM Boys 0 #285 9 6,876
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
Canada Girls 2004 #290 7 2,526
KZ Boys 0 #293 4 6,578
AL Boys 0 #298 6 5,122
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
CN Boys 0 #305 15 9,639
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
GH Boys 0 #330 16 8,138
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
PH Boys 0 #368 16 11,440
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
France Boys 2021 #385 3 2,865
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
ZA 0 #417 31 14,421
CR Boys 0 #419 69 10,188
PH Girls 0 #422 8 13,098
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
CL 0 #434 1 6,867
MX 0 #444 2 8,339
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
RU Boys 0 #493 13 12,621
GT Boys 0 #498 2 7,625
HK Boys 0 #500 28 12,905
PA Boys 0 #504 2 9,305
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
PA Girls 0 #517 2 9,861
RU Girls 0 #521 3 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #523 3 11,303
UY Girls 0 #533 4 6,731
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
KW Girls 0 #555 7 19,177
PS Boys 0 #557 5 10,655
CM Girls 0 #559 2 11,671
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
CR Girls 0 #568 6 11,342
CM Boys 0 #571 5 12,054
BH 0 #583 5 17,937
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
HK Girls 0 #603 13 16,104
IL Boys 0 #620 6 10,983
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
SG Girls 0 #630 3 18,916
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
Finland Boys 2026 #665 18 3,552
SG Boys 0 #679 19 17,960
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #692 6 13,071
NG Girls 0 #692 95 15,093
CL Boys 0 #696 5 13,390
QA Boys 0 #739 5 18,093
NG Boys 0 #751 205 16,906
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
KW Boys 0 #799 8 18,755
ZA Boys 0 #800 409 25,619
PE Boys 0 #864 15 14,506
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
EG Boys 0 #875 12 15,035
CO Boys 0 #897 24 15,656
CL Girls 0 #911 5 14,098
Spain Boys 0 #911 20 5,610
United States Girls 2024 #912 5 8,487
OM Boys 0 #916 3 17,948
Germany Boys 0 #933 20 5,697
MX Boys 0 #953 30 16,355
Spain Girls 0 #969 15 5,561
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,010 5 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,064 9 24,821
MA 0 #1,081 48 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,083 10 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,084 28 25,439
ZA Girls 0 #1,123 19 25,928
CO Girls 0 #1,146 7 16,140
DZ 0 #1,226 9 20,130
TR 0 #1,249 6 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,263 5 17,781
IT Boys 0 #1,399 73 10,046
IT Girls 0 #1,422 25 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,595 20 28,008

Cole is popular in 75 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland
United States
France

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Cole

Cole is predominantly a boy's name.
Cole is a one syllable name, pronounced /koʊl/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kole, Kohl, Col, Coll and Coley.
Across languages, Cole has these equivalents: Kohl (German variant/spelling), Col (short form), Coleman (related name meaning 'coal man').
Yes, very popular — Cole ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Cole ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Cole's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 2 notable people named Cole are in our database, including Cole Sprouse (Actor), Cole Hauser (Actor).