Cole
Say it: KOLE/kəʊl/
BoyMeans coal-black, or a short form of Nicholas4 letters1 syllable
#185
in Ireland (2025)
#184 with spellings combined
26
babies in 2025
#134
best rank (2020)
526
babies since 1989
Up 81
10-year rank change
Cole through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #184 |
| 2024 | 27 | #181 |
| 2023 | 24 | #201 |
| 2022 | 23 | #215 |
| 2021 | 30 | #178 |
| 2020 | 45 | #134 |
| 2019 | 42 | #142 |
| 2018 | 34 | #168 |
| 2017 | 38 | #156 |
| 2016 | 24 | #224 |
| 2015 | 18 | #265 |
| 2014 | 13 | #325 |
| 2013 | 25 | #223 |
| 2012 | 11 | #354 |
| 2011 | 23 | #232 |
| 2010 | 17 | #278 |
| 2009 | 18 | #261 |
| 2008 | 15 | #287 |
| 2007 | 9 | #342 |
| 2006 | 9 | #315 |
| 2005 | 7 | #343 |
| 2004 | 10 | #263 |
| 2003 | 12 | #228 |
| 2002 | 8 | #267 |
| 2001 | 5 | #317 |
| 2000 | 4 | #347 |
| 1997 | 3 | #382 |
| 1996 | 3 | #369 |
| 1989 | 3 | #307 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Cole mean?
Coal-black, or a short form of Nicholas
English surname with several roots, including Old English col (coal) and a short form of Nicholas.
Say it right
KOLE
Said just like coal.
The story of Cole
Cole began as a surname, and it has more than one root. One is an Old English nickname from col, “coal”, probably for someone with very dark hair or skin. Another is a medieval short form of Nicholas. In Ireland and Scotland it has also served as an English form of the surname McCool.
Cole first appears in the CSO records in 1989, with very few boys at first. It grew through the 2000s and 2010s, and its best year was 2020, when 45 boys were named Cole and it reached number 134. In 2025 there were 26.
In Northern Ireland its best rank was number 98 in 2017.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Cole (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Cole (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cole | 26 | 526 |
In Northern Ireland
#212 in 2025 with 9 babies. Best rank #98 (2017); 392 babies since 2000.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.