Colby
How to say it: KOHL-bee · /ˈkoʊlbi/
From an Old Norse place name meaning 'Koli's settlement' or 'dark settlement', from 'kol' (coal) + 'by' (village).
Colby was the 479th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 455 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are down about 34% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #473 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #479 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 455 |
| Share of births | 1 in 5,347 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | −34% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #473 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Holding its strongest showing in the 2000s, Colby eased to well below that level. A small rise is expected from here.
What goes with it
Bouncy and crisp in sound, Colby feels easygoing. Brady makes a good stylistic match.
Nicknames
- Cole
Honouring a Colby in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Colby is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English.
England and Wales: #224.
Famous people named Colby
- Colby O'Donis (born 1989)American singer
- Colby Covington (born 1988)American mixed martial artist
- Colby Stevenson (born 1997)American freestyle skier
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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