Colby
Girl name · #2834 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Colby? In official American birth records, Colby has been tracked continuously since 1950, giving it 75 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 60 baby girls were named Colby, placing it at #2834 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3478, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 girls born in 2025 was named Colby.
Babies named Colby per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 75-year story
Colby first appears in the Social Security records in 1950, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1992, when 155 girls were named Colby — good for #1138 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Colby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Colby in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Colby is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Colby will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Colby is most common
State-level data for Colby is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Colby
Statistically, parents drawn to Colby tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kolby, Karly, Carley, Kirby, and Codi.
KolbyKarlyCarleyKirbyCodiDarbyKaseyCarli
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Colby | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2822 |
| 2024 | 49 | #3225 |
| 2023 | 47 | #3386 |
| 2022 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2958 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3399 |
| 2019 | 48 | #3272 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2017 | 47 | #3346 |
| 2016 | 37 | #3996 |
| 2015 | 45 | #3478 |
| 2014 | 52 | #3137 |
| 2013 | 33 | #4336 |
| 2012 | 48 | #3364 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2989 |
| 2010 | 66 | #2691 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2568 |
| 2008 | 70 | #2630 |
| 2007 | 68 | #2684 |
| 2006 | 44 | #3564 |
| 2005 | 54 | #2969 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2396 |
| 2003 | 85 | #2084 |
| 2002 | 119 | #1564 |
| 2001 | 120 | #1540 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Colby?
In official American birth records, the name Colby first appeared in 1950 (over 75 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 75 years.
Is Colby a popular girl name?
Colby ranked #2834 among girls in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3478.
When was the name Colby most popular?
Colby peaked in 1992, when 155 American girls received the name (ranked #1138 that year). Since 1992 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Colby?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American girls was named Colby. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.