Colby

#2,822 for girls in 2025, 60 births · #615 for boys in 2025, 455 births
Given to boys 92.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
2001 · 3,859 births
Debut · boys
5 births
In top 100 · boys
1 yr
of 146 years
Total births · boys
53,971
since 1888

Colby over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201974peak #1,030, 1985peak #99, 2001girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#2,82260#615455
2024#3,22549#583490
2023#3,38647#607467
2022#2,68964#600469
2021#2,95856#651420
2020#3,39945#618439
2019#3,27248#612447
2018#3,61442#597459
2017#3,34647#584465
2016#3,99637#529558
2015#3,47845#456665
2014#3,13752#427717
2013#4,33633#400746
2012#3,36448#341909
2011#2,98957#3141,026
2010#2,69166#2801,207
2009#2,56872#2851,152
2008#2,63070#2731,256
2007#2,68468#2831,221
2006#3,56444#2721,272
2005#2,96954#2201,603
2004#2,39671#1852,066
2003#2,08485#1812,170
2002#1,564119#1253,118
2001#1,540120#993,859
2000#1,262155#2341,465
1999#1,309138#2241,507
1998#1,77488#2201,456
1997#1,71890#2291,357
1996#1,551102#2251,344
1995#1,474108#2091,411
1994#1,229142#2001,449
1993#1,271134#2001,519
1992#1,138155#1971,574
1991#1,328124#2021,515
1990#1,265129#2451,129
1989#1,414105#2501,032
1988#1,384102#255922
1987#1,098138#257870
1986#1,142125#253891
1985#1,030146#286715
1984#1,080129#276759
1983#1,42382#300656
1982#2,90131#360494
1981#4,34417#539242
1980#2,86631#531262
1979#2,93129#478298
1978#3,09825#479289
1977#2,21641#467298
1976#2,09941#432320
1975#2,06042#413350
1974#2,06640#435330
1973#2,68926#445309
1972#3,06221#551209
1971#3,37319#559209
1970#3,31119#695142
1969#4,19812#84183
1968#4,48910#84474
1967—#1,15042
1966—#1,21638
1965#5,8176#1,36032
1964#6,0096#1,46229
1963#5,8916#1,35433
1962#5,8606#1,54626
1961—#1,23341
1960—#1,40032
1959#6,2455#1,46729
1958#6,1035#1,67722
1957#6,0865#1,41131
1956#5,9525#1,48028
1955#3,09514#1,53825
1954#5,1486#1,76219
1953#3,9559#1,90017
1952#3,7969#1,48526
1951—#2,05514
1950#4,3157#2,01914
1949—#1,50124
1948—#1,46025
1947—#1,85017
1946—#2,6908
1945—#1,77215
1944—#1,73816
1943—#2,40510
1942—#2,5239
1941—#2,8727
1940—#3,1306
1939—#2,4499
1938—#2,32610
1937—#2,9057
1936—#2,8547
1935—#2,39610
1934—#3,2776
1933—#3,2686
1932—#3,7765
1931—#3,7635
1930—#3,0228
1929—#3,9595
1928—#2,8439
1927—#2,70310
1926—#3,1398
1925—#3,1558
1924—#3,0239
1923—#3,4677
1922—#3,2528
1921—#2,37613
1920—#2,33613
1919—#3,1158
1918—#3,3687
1917—#2,7329
1916—#2,9268
1915——
1914——
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1912——
1911——
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1889——
1888—#1,0315
1887——
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1880——
First appearance
1888

The first year at least five boys were named Colby! It came in at #1,031, and was given to 5 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1888–1915, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Colby is popular in 1974

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedNHWashington: #281 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,540 boysWAIdaho: #203 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,286 boysIDMontana: #155 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 849 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #343 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,290 boysMNIllinois: #695 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 11,184 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedMINew York: #955 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 19,053 boysNYMassachusetts: #284 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,268 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedRIOregon: #189 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,361 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedSDIowa: #199 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,908 boysIAIndiana: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedINOhio: #446 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 7,080 boysOHPennsylvania: #405 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 6,666 boysPANew Jersey: #566 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 8,564 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #446 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 4,697 boysCAUtah: #101 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 547 boysUTColorado: #243 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,819 boysCONebraska: #156 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,218 boysNEMissouri: #366 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,216 boysMOKentucky: #376 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,170 boysKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedWVVirginia: #332 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,482 boysVAMaryland: #300 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 3,469 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedDEArizona: #316 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,251 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedKSArkansas: #336 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,108 boysARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #247 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,860 boysOKLouisiana: #369 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,680 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedMSAlabama: #415 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,404 boysALGeorgia: #435 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,762 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Colby, so not publishedHITexas: #365 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 2,856 boysTXFlorida: #453 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 4,605 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Utah#101 · 1 in 547
  2. Montana#155 · 1 in 849
  3. Nebraska#156 · 1 in 1,218
  4. Oregon#189 · 1 in 1,361
  5. Iowa#199 · 1 in 1,908

Best ever in a state: #15 in Maine, 2002.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#101251 in 547
Montana#15561 in 849
Nebraska#15691 in 1,218
Oregon#189111 in 1,361
Iowa#199101 in 1,908
Idaho#20351 in 1,286
Colorado#243101 in 1,819
Oklahoma#247101 in 1,860
Washington#28191 in 2,540
Massachusetts#28481 in 4,268
Maryland#30061 in 3,469
Arizona#31681 in 2,251
Virginia#33291 in 3,482
Arkansas#33651 in 3,108
Minnesota#34351 in 5,290
Texas#365371 in 2,856
Missouri#36681 in 4,216
Louisiana#369111 in 2,680
Kentucky#37651 in 5,170
Pennsylvania#405111 in 6,666
Alabama#41561 in 4,404
Georgia#43581 in 4,762
California#446321 in 4,697
Ohio#446111 in 7,080
Florida#453111 in 4,605
New Jersey#56651 in 8,564
Illinois#69571 in 11,184
New York#95561 in 19,053
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Indiana———
Kansas———
Maine———
Michigan———
Mississippi———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Colby
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 32 spots since 2024 (#583 → #615)
  • 3 spots since 2020 (#618 → #615)
  • 159 spots since 2015 (#456 → #615)
  • Biggest jump: 306 spots in 1968 (#1,150 → #844)
  • Biggest drop: 73 spots in 2016 (#456 → #529)
Rise & fade · boys
113 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1888
  • Peaked 2001 at #99 (3,859 births)
  • Births halved by 2005, 4 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 1 yr
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 1 yr · 2001
  • Top 1,000: 58 yrs · run 1968–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 503
  • Highest: 1 in 503 boys born in 2001 were named Colby (0.20%)
  • Latest: 1 in 3,754 boys born in 2025 (0.03%)
Era · boys
The 2000s
  • 35.5% of all boys named Colby (19,182) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Never flipped
  • The majority has never changed
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s5#1,031 (1888)#1,031
1890s0——
1900s0——
1910s32#2,732 (1917)#3,035
1920s90#2,336 (1920)#3,025
1930s73#2,326 (1938)#3,004
1940s137#1,460 (1948)#2,194
1950s225#1,411 (1957)#1,679
1960s430#841 (1969)#1,241
1970s2,754#413 (1975)#495
1980s6,843#250 (1989)#331
1990s14,261#197 (1992)#215
2000s19,182#99 (2001)#216
2010s7,199#280 (2010)#454
2020s2,740#583 (2024)#612

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Colby in 1974

girls
#2,066
40 births · 1 in 36,688 girls
boys
#435
330 births · 1 in 4,765 boys

Top girls' names in 1974

  1. #1Jennifer63,107
  2. #2Amy29,566
  3. #3Michelle25,826
  4. #4Heather23,179
  5. #5Angela22,803
  6. #6Kimberly22,427
  7. #7Melissa22,166
  8. #8Lisa19,778
  9. #9Stephanie16,984
  10. #10Rebecca15,163
  11. #2,066Colby40

Top boys' names in 1974

  1. #1Michael67,534
  2. #2Jason54,756
  3. #3Christopher48,585
  4. #4David41,786
  5. #5James41,334
  6. #6John37,612
  7. #7Robert37,005
  8. #8Brian34,449
  9. #9Matthew27,194
  10. #10William26,980
  11. #435Colby330
More about 1974

girls

1,467,534 girls got a published name in 1974; 1 in 36,688 of them was named Colby, which outranked 79.8% of the 10,247 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Colby
  1. #2,029Tarina41
  2. #2,029Todd41
  3. #2,029Wenona41
  4. #2,066Colby40
  5. #2,066Alba40
  6. #2,066Alexander40
  7. #2,066Amberly40
  8. #2,100Aliza39
  9. #2,100Carlee39
  10. #2,100Caron39

Tied with 33 names at #2,066; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,440Nakia#6,666 → #226
  2. ↑ 5,329Nikia#6,080 → #751
  3. ↑ 1,994Luciana#2,914 → #920
  4. ↑ 1,556Cortney#2,349 → #793
  5. ↑ 1,213Nia#1,885 → #672
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,251Contina#962 → #2,213
  2. ↓ 396Pam#990 → #1,386
  3. ↓ 376Tracee#536 → #912
  4. ↓ 364Cher#760 → #1,124
  5. ↓ 314Richard#904 → #1,218

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,572,334 boys got a published name in 1974; 1 in 4,765 of them was named Colby, which outranked 92.8% of the 6,004 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Colby
  1. #432Simon333
  2. #433Arnold332
  3. #433Rogelio332
  4. #435Colby330
  5. #435Abel330
  6. #437Wendell329
  7. #438Kareem326
  8. #438Sherman326

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,544Rashad#4,505 → #961
  2. ↑ 844Telly#1,312 → #468
  3. ↑ 398Jabari#1,312 → #914
  4. ↑ 356Ahmad#1,123 → #767
  5. ↑ 356Toma#1,238 → #882
Fallers
  1. ↓ 383Parrish#987 → #1,370
  2. ↓ 378Fredric#957 → #1,335
  3. ↓ 346Jory#753 → #1,099
  4. ↓ 301Vidal#834 → #1,135
  5. ↓ 277Pat#847 → #1,124

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1974 →