Colby
From either the Old Norse personal name Koli or kol (“charcoal”) + býr (“settlement”).
Every Colby since 1888 — 58,155 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Colby
Colby is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #615 in 2025 with 455 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 58,155 American babies have been named Colby — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2001, when 3,979 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Colby stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Colby year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2,828 | 455 | #615 |
| 2024 | 49 | #3,240 | 490 | #583 |
| 2023 | 47 | #3,395 | 467 | #607 |
| 2022 | 64 | #2,703 | 469 | #601 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2,967 | 420 | #651 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3,407 | 439 | #618 |
| 2019 | 48 | #3,290 | 447 | #612 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3,628 | 459 | #597 |
| 2017 | 47 | #3,352 | 465 | #584 |
| 2016 | 37 | #4,013 | 558 | #529 |
| 2015 | 45 | #3,493 | 665 | #457 |
| 2014 | 52 | #3,145 | 717 | #427 |
| 2013 | 33 | #4,351 | 746 | #400 |
| 2012 | 48 | #3,379 | 909 | #341 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2,996 | 1,026 | #314 |
| 2010 | 66 | #2,702 | 1,207 | #280 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2,575 | 1,152 | #285 |
| 2008 | 70 | #2,638 | 1,256 | #273 |
| 2007 | 68 | #2,688 | 1,221 | #283 |
| 2006 | 44 | #3,573 | 1,272 | #272 |
| 2005 | 54 | #2,975 | 1,603 | #220 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2,402 | 2,066 | #185 |
| 2003 | 85 | #2,086 | 2,170 | #181 |
| 2002 | 119 | #1,565 | 3,118 | #125 |
| 2001 | 120 | #1,547 | 3,859 | #99 |
| 2000 | 155 | #1,262 | 1,465 | #234 |
| 1995 | 108 | #1,477 | 1,411 | #209 |
| 1990 | 129 | #1,266 | 1,129 | #245 |
| 1985 | 146 | #1,032 | 715 | #286 |
| 1980 | 31 | #2,880 | 262 | #532 |
| 1975 | 42 | #2,065 | 350 | #413 |
| 1970 | 19 | #3,327 | 142 | #696 |
| 1965 | 6 | #5,931 | 32 | #1,362 |
| 1960 | — | — | 32 | #1,408 |
| 1955 | 14 | #3,117 | 25 | #1,546 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,390 | 14 | #2,041 |
| 1945 | — | — | 15 | #1,791 |
| 1940 | — | — | 6 | #3,193 |
| 1935 | — | — | 10 | #2,418 |
| 1930 | — | — | 8 | #3,070 |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,197 |
| 1920 | — | — | 13 | #2,357 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Colby
- Colby O'Donis Singer · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Colby mean?
From either the Old Norse personal name Koli or kol (“charcoal”) + býr (“settlement”).
How popular is the name Colby in 2025?
Colby ranked #615 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 455 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Colby?
58,155 babies have been named Colby in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Colby most popular?
Colby peaked in 2001, when 3,979 newborns received the name.
Is Colby a boy or girl name?
Colby is used for both: about 7% of babies named Colby have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Colby rising or falling?
Colby is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Colby?
Well-known people named Colby include Colby O'Donis (singer).