Cole
Cole is a boys' name of English origin meaning “swarthy, coal-black.” It ranked #182 in the United States in 2025. Derived from the Old English col, referring to charcoal or a dark complexion.
how do you pronounce Cole?
KOHL
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Cole mean?
The name Cole means “swarthy, coal-black.” It comes from the English language tradition.
Derived from the Old English col, referring to charcoal or a dark complexion. It also functions as a short form of Nicholas or Coleman.
where does the name Cole come from?
Wikipedia gives Cole a Middle English origin meaning swarthy, coal-black or charcoal. Wiktionary's surname entry adds that the name has absorbed several unrelated lines besides that one — a patronymic short form of Nicholas, an Irish or Scottish anglicization of McCool, and Americanized spellings of the German Kohl and Kool — so not every bearer's Cole traces to the coal sense.
the history of Cole
Its use as a given name is a modern transfer from the surname; the sources here do not record it as a first name before that transfer.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #182 |
| 2024 | #162 |
| 2023 | #155 |
| 2022 | #144 |
| 2021 | #132 |
| 2020 | #133 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Cole?
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Cole?
- Cole Porter
- Cole Sprouse
- Cole Hauser
what names are similar to Cole?
what names go well with Cole?
Sibling names that share Cole's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
love Cole? get 10 more names curated for your family.
Popularity rankings and meanings are just the starting point. Our AI consultant finds names that match your heritage, style, and what matters most to you.
Completely free. No credit card required.
start free consultation