Total births
17,599
Boys' name · since 1880
Coleman
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 17,599 babies named Coleman, peaking in 1997. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1276
- among boys today
- 17,599
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Coleman is the #1276 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 17,599 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Coleman has been recorded 17,599 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1276 nationally and more common than 91% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1276 among boys today
- 17,599 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Coleman is currently the #1276 boys' name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 17,599 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1276
- among boys today
- 17,599
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Coleman vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1276
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Coleman was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
420 babies were named Coleman in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
How Coleman compares
17,599 Top 6% higher than 94% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Coleman's all-time total is 48x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Coleman | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 17,599 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 420 | 23 | 22,252 |
Coleman's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Coleman's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1899, with only 9 births recorded -- set against the 1997 peak of 420, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Coleman at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1997
Current rank
#1,276
Active since
1880
Coleman popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1997)
- 420
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Coleman popularity over time - girls
29 total births recorded since 1937 (Coleman as girls' name)
Coleman by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Coleman's strongest decade.
3,498 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Coleman births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 147
1880s
147 births
- 1890s 169
1890s
169 births
- 1900s 237
1900s
237 births
- 1910s 931
1910s
931 births
- 1920s 1,196
1920s
1,196 births
- 1930s 897
1930s
897 births
- 1940s 901
1940s
901 births
- 1950s 817
1950s
817 births
- 1960s 586
1960s
586 births
- 1970s 533
1970s
533 births
- 1980s 1,277
1980s
1,277 births
- 1990s
1990s
3,052 births
- 2000s
2000s
3,498 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,324 births
- 2020s 1,034
2020s
1,034 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 3,498 births (20% of all-time use).
How Coleman compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Coleman's total volume
Coleman vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Coleman by state
Where Coleman concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,394 | 7.9% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 1,200 | 6.8% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 991 | 5.6% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 940 | 5.3% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 751 | 4.3% |
| #6 | California | | 735 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Kentucky | | 663 | 3.8% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 622 | 3.5% |
Texas share of Coleman's total US births 7.9%
Even split
1,394 of 17,599 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 37 reporting states.
Coleman appears in 37 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Coleman? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 17,599 babies named Coleman. Today it holds rank #1276 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1997, with 420 births.
When was Coleman most popular? ▼
Coleman was most popular in the 2000s decade with 3,498 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Coleman most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Coleman are Texas (1,394 births), Georgia (1,200 births), Alabama (991 births).
How long has the name Coleman been used? ▼
Records for Coleman go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Coleman? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cole, Colton, Colin, Collin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Coleman's data
- Coleman's decade-level peak was the 2000s (3,498 total births); usage has since declined to 1,034 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Colemans (1,394 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Coleman
Nearby Names Like Coleman
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Coleman
Cole Boy
#163 154,093 births
Colton Boy
#98 151,965 births
Colin Boy
#335 133,706 births
Collin Boy
#490 81,437 births
Colby Boy
#583 53,971 births
Compare Coleman side by side: Coleman vs Cole Coleman vs Colton Coleman vs Colin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Coleman
Monroe #1275
17,094 births · Peak 1921
Viktor #1277
3,634 births · Peak 2018
Kruz #1274
2,659 births · Peak 2022
Natanael #1278
2,557 births · Peak 2020
Maxton #1273
4,685 births · Peak 2017
Amani #1279
2,890 births · Peak 2024
Rolando #1272
24,438 births · Peak 1994
Nikko #1280
4,526 births · Peak 2021
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Coleman: #1276 Boys' Name - 17,599 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/coleman. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Coleman draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.