Cole

Where Cole comes from

The surname is variously from: # A nickname from Old English col (“coal, coal-black”), # A patronymic from Nicholas (see also Coles, Colson, Colle). # A variation of Cowell (which itself has several origins). # As an Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, variant of McCool. # As a German surname, Americanized from Kohl. # As a Dutch surname, Americanized from Kool. # As a French surname, Americanized/calqued from Charbonneau, influenced by the first sense.
— Wiktionary's entry for Cole
  • 1 syllable
  • Vowel-ended
Along the way
  1. 1886
    First appearance
    #845 among boys, 6 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1891
    Cole Porter born
    American composer and songwriter
  3. 2002
    Cole Palmer born
    English footballer
  4. 2002
    Peak, #69
    6,038 babies named Cole — more than any year before or since.
  5. 2020
    The fade
    The first year with half the peak's births — down to #133.
In the dictionary
  • A male given name.
  • A diminutive of the male given name Nicholas.
  • A male given name transferred from the surname.
Namesakes
  • Cole Palmer · English footballer, born 2002
  • Cole Porter · American composer and songwriter, 1891–1964
  • Cole Sprouse · American actor, born 1992
  • Cole Hauser · American actor, born 1975

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.