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Kole

Boy name · 136 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Kole: 136 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 14 births in 2013.

A modern take on an old classic, Kole is most often a variant spelling of Cole, which itself has two distinct roots. It can be a short form of Nicholas, from the Greek *Nikolaos* meaning “victory of the people,” or a nickname deriving from the Old English *col*—“coal” or “dark”—originally given to someone with a swarthy complexion. On the baseball diamond, American outfielder Kole Calhoun brought the name into the spotlight, while elsewhere it remains a stylish, streamlined alternative to Cole or Colin. Unlike Cole, which has centuries of history as a surname and place name (such as Coleford in England), Kole feels distinctly contemporary, rising in Scotland alongside other short, punchy names. Its spelling with a K gives it a cool, modern edge while retaining the friendly, one-syllable ease of its parent name.