Coleman
Boy name · #1310 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Coleman? In official American birth records, Coleman has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Coleman ranks #1310 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 148 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #884, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,162 boys born in 2025 was named Coleman.
The 145-year story
Coleman first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1997, when 420 boys were named Coleman — good for #497 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.
Babies named Coleman per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Coleman against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Coleman in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Coleman is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Coleman will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Coleman is most common
Geography matters for names, and Coleman is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Coleman is most common in SC (0.5 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Coleman is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Coleman
Statistically, parents drawn to Coleman tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are German, Duncan, Kristian, Keenan, and Brendan.
GermanDuncanKristianKeenanBrendanAmanDarianHernan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Coleman | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 148 | #1310 |
| 2024 | 154 | #1275 |
| 2023 | 176 | #1169 |
| 2022 | 178 | #1156 |
| 2021 | 175 | #1148 |
| 2020 | 203 | #1022 |
| 2019 | 182 | #1094 |
| 2018 | 208 | #995 |
| 2017 | 246 | #873 |
| 2016 | 212 | #971 |
| 2015 | 251 | #884 |
| 2014 | 223 | #947 |
| 2013 | 252 | #845 |
| 2012 | 256 | #841 |
| 2011 | 221 | #912 |
| 2010 | 273 | #793 |
| 2009 | 276 | #806 |
| 2008 | 307 | #741 |
| 2007 | 350 | #680 |
| 2006 | 347 | #661 |
| 2005 | 363 | #616 |
| 2004 | 331 | #637 |
| 2003 | 368 | #589 |
| 2002 | 399 | #554 |
| 2001 | 369 | #563 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Coleman?
In official American birth records, the name Coleman first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 12 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Coleman a popular boy name?
Coleman ranked #1310 among boys in 2025 with 148 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #884.
When was the name Coleman most popular?
Coleman peaked in 1997, when 420 American boys received the name (ranked #497 that year). Since 1997 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Coleman?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,162 newborn American boys was named Coleman. 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.