Cole

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Cole: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Cole: Recorded since 1989, it reached #62 in 2003, and it stood at #185 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
93times a registrar ranked it
37years from first to last
#62highest recorded position
15groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Cole's record

Moved 290 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move

Region

Rising

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#427
1997	#462
1998	#320
1999	#248
2000	#185
2001	#176
2002	#172
2003	#143
2004	#134
2005	#129
2006	#136
2007	#147
2008	#138
2009	#140
2010	#125
2011	#151
2012	#151
2013	#161
2014	#171
2015	#180
2016	#145
2017	#144
2018	#139
2019	#171
2020	#183
2021	#204
2022	#184
2023	#200
2024	#169

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 29 of the 37 years from 1989 to 2025.

In 2024: #66 among boys in Scotland, #125 among boys in Northern Ireland, #169 among boys in England and Wales, #183 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1989–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1989
First recorded at #307 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2009
Highest recorded position: #62 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1998–2009).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #185 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Cole appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 29 years beginning in 1989, and has registered 526 births with the name.

Cole across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Cole's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#307 (1989)	#132 (2020)	#185 (2025)	29 of 37	526 (1989–2025)	45 (2020)
England and Wales · Boys	#427 (1996)	#125 (2010)	#169 (2024)	29 of 29	8,762 (1996–2024)	499 (2010)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#165 (2000)	#98 (2017)	#125 (2024)	24 of 25	383 (2000–2024)	29 (2017)
New Zealand · Boys	#92 (1998)	#62 (2003)	#87 (2009)	10 of 12	648 (1998–2009)	85 (2003)

Cole by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Cole in England and Wales · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1990s	288	4 of 10	72
2000s	3,275	10 of 10	328
2010sbusiest	3,819	10 of 10	382
2020s	1,380	5 of 10	276

Across England and Wales · Boys, the 2010s were its busiest decade, averaging 382 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 2010 and 2011, when recorded births fell by 105, from 499 to 394.

See the names England and Waleshas recorded the most births with →

Cole appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1989 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #62 in New Zealand in 2003.

Cole's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#169	300	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#200	247	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#184	277	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#204	265	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#183	291	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#171	317	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#139	413	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#144	402	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#145	396	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#180	327	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#171	335	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#161	348	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#151	388	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#151	394	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#125	499	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#140	419	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#138	413	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#147	362	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#136	394	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#129	407	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#134	365	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#143	318	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#172	218	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#176	197	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#185	182	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#248	120	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#320	79	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#462	42	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#427	47	High	Verified
2009	New Zealand	male	#87	60	High	Verified
2008	New Zealand	male	#96	57	High	Verified
2006	New Zealand	male	#90	58	High	Verified
2005	New Zealand	male	#81	61	High	Verified
2004	New Zealand	male	#69	75	High	Verified
2003	New Zealand	male	#62	85	High	Verified
2002	New Zealand	male	#85	58	High	Verified
2001	New Zealand	male	#68	74	High	Verified
2000	New Zealand	male	#78	66	High	Verified
1998	New Zealand	male	#92	54	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#125	17	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#272	6	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#142	17	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#134	19	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#132	19	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#209	10	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#141	17	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#98	29	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#134	21	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#169	14	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#135	21	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#161	16	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#174	14	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#161	16	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#124	24	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#125	22	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#147	18	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#166	14	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#145	16	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#161	13	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#192	8	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#154	12	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#151	11	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#165	9	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#185	26	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#183	27	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#203	24	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#219	23	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	30	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#132	45	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#143	42	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#168	34	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#156	38	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#224	24	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#265	18	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#325	13	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#223	25	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#354	11	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#232	23	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#278	17	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#261	18	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#287	15	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#342	9	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#314	9	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#343	7	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#263	10	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#228	12	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#267	8	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	5	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#347	4	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#382	3	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#369	3	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#307	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#66	77	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1989 and 2025, ranked in 31 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #62, first reached in 2003.

It held a top-100 place in 12 years, 7 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 499 births, registered in England and Wales in 2010.

Its record falls into 2 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 6 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 35 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Colbie · #727, 22y
Colby · #165, 30y
Coleen · #363, 26y
Coleman · #164, 24y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Darcy · #61, 30y
Angel · #60, 30y
Rex · #64, 36y
Tori · #60, 33y

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1980 and 1989.

Tiarnan · #62, 37y
Elliot · #61, 38y
Krystal · #63, 40y
Alyce · #65, 23y

Cole was ranked #62 in New Zealand · Boys in 2003. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Cole and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Cole without appearing here.

Cole moved ahead of

Daithi Compare
In 2017 they stood at #156 and #71 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #168 and #471.
Alfred Compare
In 2005 they stood at #343 and #343 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2006 that had become #314 and #596.
Ronald Compare
In 2002 they stood at #369 and #369 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2003 that had become #228 and #500.
Courtney Compare
In 1997 they stood at #462 and #399 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #320 and #554.

Moved ahead of Cole

Finley Compare
In 1997 they stood at #462 and #484 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #320 and #182.
Arthur Compare
In 2014 they stood at #135 and #145 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2015 that had become #169 and #89.
Luca Compare
In 2017 they stood at #98 and #110 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #141 and #67.
Freddie Compare
In 2011 they stood at #161 and #168 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2012 that had become #174 and #118.

Moved the opposite way to Cole

Daithi Compare
Between 1996 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cole went from #369 to #185 while Daithi went from #336 to #509.
Aaron Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Cole went from #427 to #169 while Aaron went from #33 to #154.
Adam Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Cole went from #427 to #169 while Adam went from #16 to #35.
Alan Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Cole went from #427 to #169 while Alan went from #163 to #592.

Moved the same way as Cole

Levi Compare
Between 1996 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cole went from #369 to #185 and Levi from #276 to #83.
Shea Compare
Between 1996 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cole went from #369 to #185 and Shea from #369 to #125.
Tyler Compare
Between 1996 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cole went from #369 to #185 and Tyler from #336 to #188.
Albie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Cole went from #427 to #169 and Albie from #853 to #19.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1989 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #62 in New Zealand in 2003. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Cole

Cole at a glance

What stands out in Cole's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Cole across 4 official records

Cole by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Cole appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Names published alongside Cole

Cole and the names beside it

Cole moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Cole

Moved the opposite way to Cole

Moved the same way as Cole

Cole at a glance

What stands out in Cole's record

Cole across 4 official records

Cole by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Cole appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Names published alongside Cole

Cole and the names beside it

Cole moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Cole

Moved the opposite way to Cole

Moved the same way as Cole